tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149332362018-03-02T16:03:15.772+00:00Jane's Probably KnittingA lifelong knitter and spinner's fibre adventures. Things don't always go as planned...Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.comBlogger427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-72064621738462281292015-05-10T12:28:00.000+01:002015-05-10T12:37:45.004+01:00A box of delights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You might have thought that by my age I would have grown out of the excitement that follows the delivery of a parcel but some parcels reward my undignified glee. Underneath the cool and rather sophisticated exterior something was hiding.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ECj2xZ2I4GY/VU86EymGVtI/AAAAAAAAFhg/YTy46UqZlDQ/s1600/IMG_6019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ECj2xZ2I4GY/VU86EymGVtI/AAAAAAAAFhg/YTy46UqZlDQ/s400/IMG_6019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />There is something about tissue paper that adds to the suspense. I think it's that you get a bit of a glimpse of what is inside but can't quite see yet.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ycRb7hxYjIQ/VU86JFclzTI/AAAAAAAAFho/_loLWA0BN_s/s1600/IMG_6022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ycRb7hxYjIQ/VU86JFclzTI/AAAAAAAAFho/_loLWA0BN_s/s400/IMG_6022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />And here it is - four beautiful samples of yarn from a company that is new to me, <a href="http://www.yarnstories.com/" target="_blank">Yarn Stories</a>. I was really pleased to read that they spin their yarns at a mill in Yorkshire, another example of the skills and traditions of the wool spinning industry in the UK being brought back to life by enthusiastic people.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iEp6jSlnIOY/VU86LmWmzzI/AAAAAAAAFhw/QKSeLuRf0fg/s1600/IMG_6026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iEp6jSlnIOY/VU86LmWmzzI/AAAAAAAAFhw/QKSeLuRf0fg/s400/IMG_6026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;The samples that I have been given are, Fine Merino and Baby Alpaca in an Aran weight and a DK and a fine merino in a DK and 4 ply.<br /><br />I decided to try the Fine Merino DK first. It is as might be expected extremely soft with the matt finish associated with a fine wool. I was pleased to read that they have not super wash treated this yarn so the ball is still good and springy to squeeze with a bit of a halo, not flat and lifeless like many super wash wools can be. It has a four ply construction with a medium twist and what appears to be a more worsted than woollen spin although retaining a good amount of air in the yarn. According to the washing instructions it can be machine washed at 30 degrees but given that the yarn is not highly twisted I would be concerned about some loss of stitch definition and would probably hand wash.<br /><br />Taking a practical approach to my swatching I decided to use it to make a pair of baby socks for a sock knitting class that I teach. For sock knitting I generally use a smaller needle than the ball band suggests so went with a 3.25mm needle. As the yarn is quite lofty it took the extra compression well and produced a firm but still soft and flexible result with good clear stitch definition.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JVaE8X-dhmU/VU86Z8h-dUI/AAAAAAAAFh4/ekY1hpMJyJM/s1600/IMG_6175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JVaE8X-dhmU/VU86Z8h-dUI/AAAAAAAAFh4/ekY1hpMJyJM/s400/IMG_6175.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Overall I was pleased with this yarn. I can't imagine a more butter soft example of a fine merino and at £5.25 per ball is a fairly average price for this quality of yarn.<br /><div><br /></div><div>I look forward to trying the other yarns in the box and will let you know how I get on!<br /><br />Yarn Stores have also asked me to tell you about an exciting competition to design a blanket square that they are running in conjunction with the Knitting and Crochet Guild. You can read more about it <a href="http://www.yarnstories.com/stories/blogs/the-knitting-and-crochet-guild-archive" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Disclaimer: I was sent this yarn to review by Yarn Stories.<br /><br /></div>Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-78882333568392279432015-04-14T12:51:00.001+01:002015-04-14T12:51:11.467+01:00Taking an idea and running with it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the things that I love about being fortunate enough to have a library of knitting books and a stash of beautiful yarns is that it is easy for the craft to take me on little...ahem... detours. It isn't entirely my fault though. My friend Lyn, author of the always inspiring blog, <a href="http://lyns-shadesofgrey.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Shades of Grey</a> has been visiting and being the seasoned traveller and fellow lover of sock knitting that she is asked if she could borrow one of my Nancy Bush sock knitting books rather than bring her own all the way from Sydney Australia. We share a great respect for Nancy's writing on all things sock related so it wasn't long before I found myself leafing through a few old favourites.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Knitting on the Road, Sock Patterns for the Traveling Knitter was, I believe, one of the first books on sock knitting that I ever bought and over the years have knitted a good number of the patterns. This time, however, I came across a simple pair of socks, the Hiiumaa Mismatched Mates based on a pair of socks which whilst the colours match...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rc6xzZ6HyBg/VSz2Y1mJWLI/AAAAAAAAFgc/mZZfoBn3AWY/s1600/IMG_6082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rc6xzZ6HyBg/VSz2Y1mJWLI/AAAAAAAAFgc/mZZfoBn3AWY/s1600/IMG_6082.JPG" height="337" width="400" /></a></div><br />But the stripe patterns are quite different.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WGU_O0BW-Xs/VSz2aiIu68I/AAAAAAAAFgk/ygya1Q-6Sio/s1600/IMG_6083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WGU_O0BW-Xs/VSz2aiIu68I/AAAAAAAAFgk/ygya1Q-6Sio/s1600/IMG_6083.JPG" height="400" width="270" /></a></div><br />This really appealed to me and seemed to be a great way of adding a bit of spice to my vanilla public transport knitting socks as well as using up quantities of yarn that weren't quire enough to make a pair of socks. &nbsp;Some stash diving ensued and I emerged with several smallish balls of my favourite work horse sock yarn, Bonny, by my friend Natalie Fergie at <a href="http://www.nataliefergie.com/blog/" target="_blank">The Yarn Yard</a>, a no nonsense wool/nylon blend.<br /><br />You could either say that I am easily distracted or that I am constantly alive to inspiration as I noticed on my friend <a href="http://mylifeinknitwear.com/abricot-crumble-cookies/" target="_blank">Rachel's blog</a> that she was knitting with a fabulous neon peach yarn which seemed the perfect way to celebrate the coming of spring, tempered with stripes from a shade in my much loved collection of sludge coloured yarns.<br /><br />Now I had chosen my yarns it seemed a bit counter intuitive to make a pair of random striped socks by slavishly following someone else's pattern so I decided to go with my favourite toe up reverse flap and gusset sock recipe and design my own stripe pattern. I ran a search for&nbsp;random stripe generators and came across the wonderful tool developed by Caitlin of the<a href="http://www.biscuitsandjam.com/stripe_maker.php" target="_blank"> Biscuits and Jam blog</a>. It's really easy to use and gives you a chance to have a look at what the stripe pattern might look like before starting (I wasn't going to relinquish total control after all). I decided that I wanted stripes of 2, 4 and 8 rounds deep with a sequence repeat of 40 rows. I simply refreshed the sequence until I found a pattern that `I liked and started knitting. There is something about stripes that makes the knitting seem to go very fast...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FrRI9HLkBLQ/VSz2dRWB_nI/AAAAAAAAFgs/oWgZh6lcRc8/s1600/IMG_6085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FrRI9HLkBLQ/VSz2dRWB_nI/AAAAAAAAFgs/oWgZh6lcRc8/s1600/IMG_6085.jpg" height="400" width="210" /></a></div><br />For the second sock I omitted the four round stripes and ran the program again.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--LgY04xgaZ8/VSz2h8Z0zQI/AAAAAAAAFg0/RcxNjC5jcaw/s1600/IMG_6088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--LgY04xgaZ8/VSz2h8Z0zQI/AAAAAAAAFg0/RcxNjC5jcaw/s1600/IMG_6088.jpg" height="400" width="240" /></a></div><br />I have to admit that I had so much fun that I immediately cast on another sock, using the same method but over a different sequence and this time from the top down.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vtoD69R3hM/VSz2maesXII/AAAAAAAAFg8/02U2vFkJuqY/s1600/IMG_6089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vtoD69R3hM/VSz2maesXII/AAAAAAAAFg8/02U2vFkJuqY/s1600/IMG_6089.jpg" height="400" width="207" /></a></div><br />I like to live dangerously.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5E8UwEeku2g/VSz2rVhAoQI/AAAAAAAAFhE/YC5zip-2YlE/s1600/IMG_6091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5E8UwEeku2g/VSz2rVhAoQI/AAAAAAAAFhE/YC5zip-2YlE/s1600/IMG_6091.jpg" height="400" width="255" /></a></div><br />In fact I may have cast on another pair,<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp_9bEyi1Xo/VSz2u5jZV6I/AAAAAAAAFhM/hs6v7oj1Fr0/s1600/IMG_6093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp_9bEyi1Xo/VSz2u5jZV6I/AAAAAAAAFhM/hs6v7oj1Fr0/s1600/IMG_6093.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14933236%23editor&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-FrRI9HLkBLQ%252FVSz2dRWB_nI%252FAAAAAAAAFgs%252FoWgZh6lcRc8%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6085.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&amp;xm=h&amp;xv=sa1.35&amp;description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 248px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1439px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14933236%23editor&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-FrRI9HLkBLQ%252FVSz2dRWB_nI%252FAAAAAAAAFgs%252FoWgZh6lcRc8%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6085.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&amp;xm=h&amp;xv=sa1.35&amp;description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 248px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1439px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-75098703514620112112015-03-23T14:07:00.001+00:002015-03-23T14:07:14.422+00:00Magnificent Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not sure what is going on in my knitting world at the moment as all I seem to want to knit in my non work knitting time is socks. You are very likely to see me on the tube or bus or in the Stepney City Farm Cafe quite happily knitting away on a sock, barely pausing to look down at my work. &nbsp;I'm not even particularly keen on knitting some of the exciting new designs and architectures that are around at the moment. I seem to be quite happy with a good old fashioned sock, knit either from the top down of the toe up with possibly a simple pattern but one that mostly lets the yarn speak for itself and doesn't require a great deal of active thought on my part.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My most recent output is testament to this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First a pair of socks which have been on the needles for some time but recently finished off. They are Dead Simple Lace Socks (I told you I was in an uncomplicated mood) from Wendy Johnson's book Socks From The Toe Up knit in Yarn Yard Macushla, a merino, cashmere and nylon blend in one of Natalie's signature colour ways that is made up of a subtle blend of colour washes and glazes to come up with the overall effect.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PIqTWaAZLl4/VRAZHisIv5I/AAAAAAAAFfg/aUjaSfqMgoc/s1600/IMG_6059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PIqTWaAZLl4/VRAZHisIv5I/AAAAAAAAFfg/aUjaSfqMgoc/s1600/IMG_6059.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Whilst the sock looks a pinkish orange from a distance it is actually made up of highlights of brick, yellow and white.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mpKchGRwx5s/VRAZJaBHHyI/AAAAAAAAFfo/4yAm97ZwzVc/s1600/IMG_6060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mpKchGRwx5s/VRAZJaBHHyI/AAAAAAAAFfo/4yAm97ZwzVc/s1600/IMG_6060.JPG" height="246" width="400" /></a></div><br />Secondly, another Wendy Johnson pattern, this time Mock Cable Socks from the same book using Madeline Tosh Sock in Firewood. This is another yarn where the dyes are used expertly to produce amazing colour effects.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSb8E3ufbms/VRAZLSNUGFI/AAAAAAAAFfw/6RqS4znBmvA/s1600/IMG_6064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSb8E3ufbms/VRAZLSNUGFI/AAAAAAAAFfw/6RqS4znBmvA/s1600/IMG_6064.JPG" height="283" width="400" /></a></div><br />I really enjoyed knitting every stitch of these socks.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iFknoHXg0ks/VRAZN7Pf0zI/AAAAAAAAFf4/xjpzrBoId7o/s1600/IMG_6066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iFknoHXg0ks/VRAZN7Pf0zI/AAAAAAAAFf4/xjpzrBoId7o/s1600/IMG_6066.JPG" height="245" width="400" /></a></div><br />And just to ring the changes I had a request from my niece for a pair of socks so what better than another Madeline Tosh yarn from completely the other end of the scale, Pop Rocks. This time I chose to knit them from the top down using Anne Budd's Handy Book of Patterns to work out the numbers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NLjaZnhhOjg/VRAZPac4III/AAAAAAAAFgA/D69Ad07uzy4/s1600/IMG_6069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NLjaZnhhOjg/VRAZPac4III/AAAAAAAAFgA/D69Ad07uzy4/s1600/IMG_6069.JPG" height="335" width="400" /></a></div><br />I still get enormous satisfaction from turning a heel.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJD0rCfsFdE/VRAZRkwjYvI/AAAAAAAAFgI/lQIoivEDDNY/s1600/IMG_6071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OJD0rCfsFdE/VRAZRkwjYvI/AAAAAAAAFgI/lQIoivEDDNY/s1600/IMG_6071.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />I'm not sure how long this period of sock comfort knitting is going to last as I have several more pairs in the pipeline but I have a plentiful supply of sock yarn and no shortage of willing recipients including myself so this could run and run.....Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-30344778403344130942015-02-24T13:05:00.001+00:002015-02-24T13:05:37.091+00:00Badges of Honour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I mentioned in my first post of 2015 being an enthusiastic maker and wearer of hand knitted socks, it is always a sad day when I discover that I have worn holes in them and they need to be set aside to be repaired. You will have seen that I was less than satisfied with my first attempts at darning so when Anna at <a href="http://www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wild and Woolly</a> announced that she was going to be hosting a darning workshop with <a href="http://chita55.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sanae Chita of the Textile Surgery </a>I was first in the queue.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sanae is a very modest and patient teacher who is very creative and has an enviable attention to detail. She invited us to bring along a selection of garments which we wanted to repair so of course I armed myself with a big bag of socks. At this point I was wishing that I was one of those well organised knitters who sets aside a small amount of the yarn that she used to make the socks so that when it came to the time for repair I had the materials for a neat and virtually invisible darn to hand. I am not that knitter.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s-Q5JljWwYA/VOxoP9gOa6I/AAAAAAAAFdc/pLMwfWHeUdk/s1600/IMG_6028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s-Q5JljWwYA/VOxoP9gOa6I/AAAAAAAAFdc/pLMwfWHeUdk/s1600/IMG_6028.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />However, thanks to Sanae, I no longer feel that this is something to feel bad about as I have learned to &nbsp;love the art of visible mending and armed with this wonderful array of colourful darning threads I plan to enjoy making repairs from now on!<br /><br />So, &nbsp;instead of choosing the grey yarn that best matches these socks I decided to use the brightest red in my palette. Not only was it so much easier to see what I was doing, I realised that I loved the way that my much loved socks are wearing a sort of badge of honour which not only prolongs their life but also shows that they have been worn often, with great pride.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCWiYAXaCb4/VOxoS1HUUnI/AAAAAAAAFdk/DjGlpXwSy4M/s1600/IMG_6036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCWiYAXaCb4/VOxoS1HUUnI/AAAAAAAAFdk/DjGlpXwSy4M/s1600/IMG_6036.JPG" height="283" width="400" /></a></div><br />As I was working on my darning technique I also started to wonder exactly how old these socks were. Through a combination of this blog and my Ravelry project pages I have been able to piece together something of their history. These socks are Lindsay Socks by Cookie A and were both started and finished in July 2010. They were made in Koigu KPPPM.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RSLFYMldY3w/VOxoUi8RWpI/AAAAAAAAFds/j3f7Th5iGrg/s1600/IMG_6035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RSLFYMldY3w/VOxoUi8RWpI/AAAAAAAAFds/j3f7Th5iGrg/s1600/IMG_6035.JPG" height="280" width="400" /></a></div><br />The next socks are a bit of a mystery as I don't seem to have made a record of them anywhere. I know that they are Trilobite Socks by Wendy Johnson and were made at some point after 2009 as they were the second pair that I made from that pattern.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yfif_FFLQ14/VOxoXqdYkRI/AAAAAAAAFd0/68wAu950KxI/s1600/IMG_6038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yfif_FFLQ14/VOxoXqdYkRI/AAAAAAAAFd0/68wAu950KxI/s1600/IMG_6038.JPG" height="242" width="400" /></a></div><br />I chose a dark grey darning thread to contrast with the golden yellow of the socks. I wish I could remember the yarn that I used as whilst I love the colour, the yarn has not worn as well as I had hoped. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wHHwjOMso9Q/VOxoaGROKoI/AAAAAAAAFd8/Ki5Yv5GLYmw/s1600/IMG_6040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wHHwjOMso9Q/VOxoaGROKoI/AAAAAAAAFd8/Ki5Yv5GLYmw/s1600/IMG_6040.JPG" height="251" width="400" /></a></div><br />Having been firmly bitten by the darning bug by this point I set out to tackle this pair of sock which I was astonished to discover were made in 2007. The pattern is my own and was designed to evoke the colours and textures of the rooftops in the Umbrian hill towns I had visited on my holiday in Italy that summer.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YVP7AkhlYCY/VOxoeF3Ka2I/AAAAAAAAFeE/CubNNqDMk9g/s1600/IMG_6042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YVP7AkhlYCY/VOxoeF3Ka2I/AAAAAAAAFeE/CubNNqDMk9g/s1600/IMG_6042.JPG" height="255" width="400" /></a></div><br />Two holes in these socks so I decided to go for two shades of blue. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hills Supersock in the colour way Serengeti.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m375D_xtpys/VOxogkJUAoI/AAAAAAAAFeM/OTvObvPa-QE/s1600/IMG_6044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m375D_xtpys/VOxogkJUAoI/AAAAAAAAFeM/OTvObvPa-QE/s1600/IMG_6044.JPG" height="282" width="400" /></a></div><br />Finally, these pale yellow socks are the lace and Cable socks again from Wendy D Johnson made in May 2009 from Indigo Moon Island Time in Apricot.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BZUNRIKce9s/VOxojl6zPAI/AAAAAAAAFeU/DQ545JrSKXU/s1600/IMG_6045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BZUNRIKce9s/VOxojl6zPAI/AAAAAAAAFeU/DQ545JrSKXU/s1600/IMG_6045.JPG" height="276" width="400" /></a></div><br />I love this delicate combination of shades.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AXkJpA3c__k/VOxoqNXIrpI/AAAAAAAAFec/IiGsaamy40M/s1600/IMG_6048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AXkJpA3c__k/VOxoqNXIrpI/AAAAAAAAFec/IiGsaamy40M/s1600/IMG_6048.JPG" height="260" width="400" /></a></div><br />I was quite pleasantly surprised at how old all these socks were and how with a little imagination, what had previously seemed like a chore feels more like an extension of the creative process that went into the making of the socks in the first place. It's a celebration of longevity, of slow craft and respectful of the resources that went into this simple garment.<br /><br />These colourful repairs really are badges of honour as far as I am concerned.<br /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14933236%23editor&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-AXkJpA3c__k%252FVOxoqNXIrpI%252FAAAAAAAAFec%252FIiGsaamy40M%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6048.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&amp;xm=h&amp;xv=sa1.35&amp;description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 3143px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14933236%23editor&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-AXkJpA3c__k%252FVOxoqNXIrpI%252FAAAAAAAAFec%252FIiGsaamy40M%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6048.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&amp;xm=h&amp;xv=sa1.35&amp;description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 3143px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-16631285043470564582015-01-10T15:45:00.000+00:002015-01-10T15:49:25.649+00:00Hold on to your hat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm sitting here at my desk, writing, looking out at a bright and blustery Saturday afternoon thinking about my fellow knitters experiencing the gale force winds in Scotland and hoping that they have all found a cosy place to knit and ride out the storm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If the wind isn't too fierce I do like to go out walking in it and feel the cool air on my face. However, I find having my hair flapping around in my face quite maddening so the perfect knitterly solution is, of course a hat. After years of claiming that I really don't go in for hats I have to admit that they are becoming much more of a wardrobe staple than they used to be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You will have seen this hat before - it's the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/atherfield-hat" target="_blank">Atherfield Hat </a>which I designed specifically for teaching students their first steps in knitting in the round and discovered that despite the fact that my usual style of knitting is small items on small needles, I really enjoy the instant gratification of a simple hat knitted in chunky wool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xNvOEOPCmi4/VLE_Vi7MvdI/AAAAAAAAFck/19ULSRS4XkM/s1600/IMG_5539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xNvOEOPCmi4/VLE_Vi7MvdI/AAAAAAAAFck/19ULSRS4XkM/s1600/IMG_5539.jpg" height="390" width="400" /></a></div><br />So I thought I'd make another one. These are both made in Woolyknits Lofty available from <a href="http://www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wild and Woolly.</a> The green hat is made in Olive and the red one is Cranberry.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1GMH5ukImHk/VLE_aCRY4VI/AAAAAAAAFcs/rpaHnd_Hj0s/s1600/IMG_5948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1GMH5ukImHk/VLE_aCRY4VI/AAAAAAAAFcs/rpaHnd_Hj0s/s1600/IMG_5948.JPG" height="240" width="400" /></a></div><br />Of course then, <a href="http://www.loopknittingshop.com/" target="_blank">Loop</a> took delivery of the very lovely Madeline Tosh Home which is a beautifully soft chunky yarn in the usual gorgeous Madeline Tosh range of colours so before I knew where I was I had made another two! They are knit in Hosta Blue and Tern. The yardage with this yarn is a little shorter than the Lofty so I omitted a couple of rows of ribbing to ensure that I had enough yarn.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q6LhKEIp670/VLE_egr3EfI/AAAAAAAAFc0/mET70d37VFE/s1600/IMG_5949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q6LhKEIp670/VLE_egr3EfI/AAAAAAAAFc0/mET70d37VFE/s1600/IMG_5949.JPG" height="245" width="400" /></a></div><br />Let it not be said, however, that I have completely abandoned working with fine yarns. I bought Toasty, the beautiful hat book by <a href="http://www.coopknits.co.uk/" target="_blank">Rachel Coopey</a> from her at Unravel back in February and thought it was time to try one of the beautiful designs. This is Ripon, for which I used <a href="http://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/" target="_blank">Eden Cottage </a>Hayton 4ply in Steel.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMZQ6KwDzQg/VLE_jD-hO2I/AAAAAAAAFc8/ZjzxqiRnDms/s1600/IMG_5952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMZQ6KwDzQg/VLE_jD-hO2I/AAAAAAAAFc8/ZjzxqiRnDms/s1600/IMG_5952.JPG" height="400" width="373" /></a></div><br />I absolutely love the way that the hat comes together at the crown.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3-HETznKoVI/VLE_otkoiSI/AAAAAAAAFdE/k2gb9f1-7gM/s1600/IMG_5959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3-HETznKoVI/VLE_otkoiSI/AAAAAAAAFdE/k2gb9f1-7gM/s1600/IMG_5959.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />I can definitely see more hats in my life. My friend <a href="http://mylifeinknitwear.com/" target="_blank">Rachel</a> very kindly gave me the latest <a href="http://www.woollywormhead.com/" target="_blank">Woolly Wormhead </a>Mystery Knitalong hat pattern as a surprise gift so whilst I have missed the knit along I have some gorgeous yellow yarn set aside and am planning to cast on just as soon as I get a few other things off my needles. 2015 is certainly going to be the year of the hat as far as I am concerned!<br /><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14933236%23editor&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-LMZQ6KwDzQg%252FVLE_jD-hO2I%252FAAAAAAAAFc8%252FZjzxqiRnDms%252Fs1600%252FIMG_5952.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&amp;xm=h&amp;xv=sa1.35&amp;description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 166px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1415px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D14933236%23editor&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-LMZQ6KwDzQg%252FVLE_jD-hO2I%252FAAAAAAAAFc8%252FZjzxqiRnDms%252Fs1600%252FIMG_5952.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&amp;xm=h&amp;xv=sa1.35&amp;description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 166px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 1415px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-72396832615072737902015-01-05T12:54:00.001+00:002015-01-05T13:00:01.693+00:002014 - worth mending<div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As is traditional at this time of the year when the nights are at their longest I have been gathered in with my loved ones reflecting, remembering and looking forward. I am so lucky to have a family who will let me take time out from my daily life and spend time with them collecting my thoughts and resources ready for the year ahead. They remind me as we reminisce how whilst many things stay the same but also as I watch my niece and nephew grow into their teenage years how things move on and life changes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;">It always aids reflection to be able to sit and contemplate views like this.</div><div style="min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8dSJ__IqHLI/VKqB6goNhnI/AAAAAAAAFb0/KueZPuTmkC4/s1600/IMG_5967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8dSJ__IqHLI/VKqB6goNhnI/AAAAAAAAFb0/KueZPuTmkC4/s1600/IMG_5967.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Or this.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdAEJIzBM3M/VKqB8YIaJSI/AAAAAAAAFb8/a-3AiLCve2s/s1600/IMG_5981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdAEJIzBM3M/VKqB8YIaJSI/AAAAAAAAFb8/a-3AiLCve2s/s1600/IMG_5981.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;2014 has been a year of mixed fortunes. Work wise I feel really fulfilled. My freelance career has grown slowly but solidly. I have exhibited at craft shows in my own right and have had the opportunity to work in some interesting places such as the RAF Museum in Hendon and the Stepney City Farm. I've developed new knitting classes and released more patterns both in magazines and independently. My enthusiasm for knitting and the impact that making things by hand can have within the community continues</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;to excite and inspire me.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">2014 has also brought sadness and difficulty. I lost a cousin and supported a dear friend through both marriage and the death of her husband in the space of less than a year. It reminded me that whilst building my career is important as I need to put food on the table, the most&nbsp;</span>valuable<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;things that I have are the people that I am lucky enough to have drawn around myself. They may need patching up and looking after now and again but are all the more precious and beautiful for all that.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">In this spirit I used some of the quiet time that I have had over the last week or so to make a few repairs to well loved pieces of knitwear such as my&nbsp;grey Vitamin D cardigan here which I managed to tear a small hole in.</span><br /><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tM3aVy_9DNg/VKqB_DAv5FI/AAAAAAAAFcE/ioYtO37fE_s/s1600/IMG_5989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tM3aVy_9DNg/VKqB_DAv5FI/AAAAAAAAFcE/ioYtO37fE_s/s1600/IMG_5989.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Or this pair of socks which fell victim to the shaped instep of my favourite Birkenstock clogs.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNWx_kxyMwU/VKqCA2CtMjI/AAAAAAAAFcM/K3iD5FiqGrg/s1600/IMG_6001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNWx_kxyMwU/VKqCA2CtMjI/AAAAAAAAFcM/K3iD5FiqGrg/s1600/IMG_6001.JPG" height="248" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">I'm certainly not claiming to be the world's most competent darner but it is something that I am determined to practice in 2015.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERUHGfSozUM/VKqCCPb_elI/AAAAAAAAFcU/iN9H0FtNG2A/s1600/IMG_5996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERUHGfSozUM/VKqCCPb_elI/AAAAAAAAFcU/iN9H0FtNG2A/s1600/IMG_5996.JPG" height="230" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br /><div style="font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">For me it's a really important skill. We all put hours of work into making things for ourselves and our loved ones and get great pleasure from wearing them so it makes sense that we don't just discard them when they start to show wear and tear.&nbsp;</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">While I was concentrating on my darning I took the time to think about the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. I'm not really someone who makes New Years resolutions which set impossible goals and end up making me feel rather guilty. Instead I think I am simply going to make sure I look after what I am lucky enough to have, whether it be my good health, my good friends or my good warm socks!</div>Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-15433055974052594462014-12-09T00:09:00.001+00:002014-12-09T00:09:54.514+00:00Growing up as a knitter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You might be forgiven for thinking, due to my recent blogging silence, that my enthusiasm for knitting had waned. The last couple of months haven't been particularly easy as I have been taking care of a dear friend who has suffered a great loss, I have found myself turning to my knitting more and more as a way of gathering myself up ready for another day.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mL-V1kd2kU/VIY2Rqyw27I/AAAAAAAAFa0/AXETTiyD8Kw/s1600/IMG_5905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mL-V1kd2kU/VIY2Rqyw27I/AAAAAAAAFa0/AXETTiyD8Kw/s1600/IMG_5905.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />This sort of therapeutic knitting, however requires a careful choice of project. For me it has to be something warm and cosy under the fingers with a balance between concentration and swathes of calming, rhythmic stocking stitch slowly growing in my lap and give me the chance to be distracted but not too challenged. Recently I have become increasingly drawn to making full sized garments for myself, something that I have often shied away from in the past in case the garment didn't fit or didn't miraculously make me look like the model in the photo. My bulging sock, mitten and shawl draw speaks only too eloquently to this fact.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6s7xrHbtjIY/VIY2UP6DV1I/AAAAAAAAFa8/ihFZuF79Dyc/s1600/IMG_5912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6s7xrHbtjIY/VIY2UP6DV1I/AAAAAAAAFa8/ihFZuF79Dyc/s1600/IMG_5912.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />This time, however, I decided that I wanted a warm, cosy, generous cardigan that would work as a jacket as the weather becomes cooler. I also wanted a colour that felt warm so I chose one of my favourite work horse yarns, Cascade 220 in a shade called Birch Heather. I particularly like the Cascade Heathers shades as they combine shades in a sophisticated way which makes them look far more expensive than they really are!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YHNqPwteonU/VIY2V0aq1MI/AAAAAAAAFbE/Fred6jN_l9E/s1600/IMG_5916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YHNqPwteonU/VIY2V0aq1MI/AAAAAAAAFbE/Fred6jN_l9E/s1600/IMG_5916.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />I chose the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rosemont-cardigan" target="_blank">Rosemont Cardigan by Hannah Fettig</a>&nbsp;which is constructed from the top down and once I had realised that I needed to make good notes during the shoulder shapings I found to be a simple, intuitive knit, exactly what I have needed in these challenging few weeks.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ys32PTufPrU/VIY2XvmTy3I/AAAAAAAAFbM/nQ9rcUyCiXs/s1600/IMG_5919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ys32PTufPrU/VIY2XvmTy3I/AAAAAAAAFbM/nQ9rcUyCiXs/s1600/IMG_5919.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />I also came to realise that when I got to the shawl collar I was nowhere near finishing the garment. A skein and a half later I was still knitting but to create anything less than a generous collar would spoil the entire cardigan.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hl1_u3CAaoo/VIY2aZvAVbI/AAAAAAAAFbU/9q6TXsHJS64/s1600/IMG_5932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hl1_u3CAaoo/VIY2aZvAVbI/AAAAAAAAFbU/9q6TXsHJS64/s1600/IMG_5932.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div><br />The cardigan is designed without buttons and buttonholes so gives the perfect opportunity to show off one of my collection of shawl pins. This one is a particular favourite by my friend <a href="http://nickerjac.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nickerjac</a>. &nbsp;It's one of the perks of my profession to spend time with talented, crafty people!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzXMnla2d24/VIY2d2oU3RI/AAAAAAAAFbc/D05c5SYGxjw/s1600/IMG_5936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzXMnla2d24/VIY2d2oU3RI/AAAAAAAAFbc/D05c5SYGxjw/s1600/IMG_5936.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />In retrospect I could probably have got away with knitting this garment a size smaller but I'm sure I'm not the only knitter who overestimates the size she needs. The sleeves in particular are longer than I need but having turned them back I think they reflect the shawl collar well so am happy with the way that they are.<br /><br />I'm pleased to say that the temperature has started to drop so I have had plenty of opportunity to wear my cosy new cardigan and am really pleased that I have plucked up the courage to start knitting more jumpers for myself.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M3-Ntrx2joY/VIY2gbb6nEI/AAAAAAAAFbk/_RhGyh3ozqE/s1600/IMG_5942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M3-Ntrx2joY/VIY2gbb6nEI/AAAAAAAAFbk/_RhGyh3ozqE/s1600/IMG_5942.JPG" height="233" width="400" /></a></div><br />In fact, I am enjoying the process so much I have started another garment. More on this later....Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-14291921996584106982014-10-24T17:19:00.002+01:002014-10-24T23:42:10.825+01:00These aren't just ordinary drop spindles...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They are east London drop spindles and they represent why it is such a privilege to be part of the local creative community. They were made by Tom Hepworth, one of the green wood workers who rent a space in the Rural Arts Centre at Stepney City Farm to a design developed in collaboration with Nic Walker and me, who regular blog readers will know are the resident textile artists at the Farm. &nbsp;Amongst other things we host the weekly Thursday lunchtime fibre crafts group in the Cafe and spin the fleeces of the farm's small flock of Jacob sheep.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp;It gives me great pleasure to work in this way with other craftspeople on the Farm as it shows that whilst our skills may be very different, our motivation to create useful things with our hands is very similar and it's wonderful when these skills can compliment each other so directly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EMyqcOQsog4/VEpxEKvxzwI/AAAAAAAAFaI/smVC_W_9-T0/s1600/IMG_5893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EMyqcOQsog4/VEpxEKvxzwI/AAAAAAAAFaI/smVC_W_9-T0/s1600/IMG_5893.JPG" height="282" width="400" /></a></div><br />They are top whorl spindles, made with an ash shaft for strength and flexibly, and a horse chestnut whorl. All the wood is sourced in east London, mainly from local tree surgeons. One of the things that I particularly love about these spindles, and what sets them apart from many of the other chiefly lathe turned spindles that I have used &nbsp;is that they have been made by a green wood carver with very simple tools so that you can see every cut that his blade has made. A drop spindle is a very simple tool itself and this quality lends a real intimacy to the object as you turn it in your hands.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CF2d5FVMcuk/VEpxJZ_YJ_I/AAAAAAAAFaQ/a5k97ja8txk/s1600/IMG_5902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CF2d5FVMcuk/VEpxJZ_YJ_I/AAAAAAAAFaQ/a5k97ja8txk/s1600/IMG_5902.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />When I met Tom in his workshop yesterday I had the opportunity to have a brief conversation with him about his work. He has been an apprentice in the workshop for approximately a year developing his skills as a green wood carver. His particular passion is for carving spoons and his first range will soon be available for sale. He likes the way that small objects add character to a home and the way that a carved spoon can combine beauty and function in its form. I would say that the same is true of his spindles. Follow him on Twitter at @Hepworth_Tom to see more of his work.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1yJPE5Ay0Wk/VEpxMa3U69I/AAAAAAAAFaY/loQPnZAAbuE/s1600/IMG_5886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1yJPE5Ay0Wk/VEpxMa3U69I/AAAAAAAAFaY/loQPnZAAbuE/s1600/IMG_5886.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It would have been good to spend longer talking to Tom as it is encouraging to talk to another craftsperson whose values and motivation really resonate with your own but these spindles were on a journey. Much as I would love to say that they are all mine it was my privilege to deliver them to the person who commissioned them, Anna from <a href="http://www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wild and Woolly</a> whose shop is a most welcome new addition to the community for east London knitters and crocheters.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hPdjx2x6rN4/VEp2nV32T3I/AAAAAAAAFak/XRAyZQgwDKM/s1600/IMG_5901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hPdjx2x6rN4/VEp2nV32T3I/AAAAAAAAFak/XRAyZQgwDKM/s1600/IMG_5901.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />I am, of course leaving the best news until last. If you have always wanted to learn how to make your own yarn, one of these beautiful spindles could be yours as I will be teaching an Introduction to Drop Spindling workshop at <a href="http://www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wild and Woolly</a> on Wednesday 29th October and Wednesday 5th November between 7.00pm and 9.00pm. The price of the workshop is £50 which includes an east London &nbsp;spindle and fibre. When I spoke to Anna yesterday she told me that there were still one or two places left on the course but they were going fast!Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-14940487603217023242014-10-21T14:51:00.001+01:002014-10-21T14:54:06.547+01:00Introducing the Atherfield Hat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know, I know, not another pair of fingerless mitts this time but as I sit here listening to the wind whistle around the house and think about heading out to work later I thought it was time to launch this warm and cosy hat.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Inspired by the seamark off the coast of Atherfield Bay on the Isle of Wight, this hat was originally conceived for teaching intermediate knitting students the basics of knitting in the round, working ribbing, stocking and reverse stocking stitch in the round and the use of the double decrease. We used a cosy chunky yarn so that the project could be knitted quickly and hats could be shown off at the next class.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9yFHaQi7J6E/VEZZkf582aI/AAAAAAAAFZ4/GLLHE55z09k/s1600/Atherfield%2Bhat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9yFHaQi7J6E/VEZZkf582aI/AAAAAAAAFZ4/GLLHE55z09k/s1600/Atherfield%2Bhat.jpg" height="400" width="361" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It soon became clear that this slouchy beany style with width given by the way that the stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch bands rest on each other suited pretty much everyone who tried it on. I'll come clean and admit that I struggle to find a hat that will suit me but even I'm happy with the way it looks on me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Y3LEprDzuc/VEZYmWE_KfI/AAAAAAAAFZY/mB0oE4srHx0/s1600/IMG_5172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Y3LEprDzuc/VEZYmWE_KfI/AAAAAAAAFZY/mB0oE4srHx0/s1600/IMG_5172.JPG" height="213" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The pale green sample is knit in Woolyknits Lofty in Olive and the darker green sample is in Jo Sharp &nbsp;Silk Road Ultra in Elm. &nbsp;Offered in two sizes this hat knits up really quickly and can be keeping your ears warm within a couple of evenings.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ3YW3RUUx8/VEZYo4gtYhI/AAAAAAAAFZg/lWry1iGcqmk/s1600/IMG_5173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ3YW3RUUx8/VEZYo4gtYhI/AAAAAAAAFZg/lWry1iGcqmk/s1600/IMG_5173.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div><br />It makes a perfect quick gift from that spare ball of chunky yarn that you might have lying around. This hat can be made from one ball of chunky yarn as long as it has at least 106m per 100g.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AMzXP2beaAo/VEZYrWwb0dI/AAAAAAAAFZo/rgQ6hx5Ra-c/s1600/IMG_5178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AMzXP2beaAo/VEZYrWwb0dI/AAAAAAAAFZo/rgQ6hx5Ra-c/s1600/IMG_5178.JPG" height="302" width="400" /></a></div><br />I love the way that these hats stack up on each other. I can't help but imagine having a pile of these hats in a rainbow of colours by the front door so that I can grab one to match my mood or outfit as I leave the house.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTBJyXTrVRg/VEZZJeHJwRI/AAAAAAAAFZw/hsDHDfJ0he8/s1600/IMG_5539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTBJyXTrVRg/VEZZJeHJwRI/AAAAAAAAFZw/hsDHDfJ0he8/s1600/IMG_5539.jpg" height="390" width="400" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;The pattern is available as a download for £2.50 from my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/atherfield-hat" target="_blank">Ravelry Shop</a>. It would make a perfect first project for someone who hasn't knitted in the round before or for an experienced knitter who fancies a bit of instant gratification.<br /><br />Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-34781772996697674042014-10-19T14:18:00.001+01:002014-10-19T14:25:14.591+01:00Serendipitous Vedbaek Shawl Knit Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like most of us, I like to pride myself on my individuality and resistance to following trends and jumping on bandwagons but sometimes the knitting community can be very persuasive and can sneak up on you when you least expect it. I was watching one of my favourite podcasts, <a href="http://fibertrek.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Fiber Trek</a> recently and Sarah mentioned the<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vedbaek" target="_blank"> Vedbaek Shawl by Karina Westermann</a>. Both Sarah and Karina communicate so persuasively about the connection between textiles and landscape and value warm, rustic yarns with clear provenance that exemplify this relationship.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iTNeFHf8P8/VEOn8CkvaxI/AAAAAAAAFYw/5tPknm2-2Og/s1600/IMG_5868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iTNeFHf8P8/VEOn8CkvaxI/AAAAAAAAFYw/5tPknm2-2Og/s1600/IMG_5868.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />Add to this a very generous discount offer from Karina for Fiber Trek listeners and the realisation that I had the perfect yarn for the project in stash and I was hooked. The yarn is a blend of Jacob, Shetland and Alpaca in the Moss colour way by <a href="http://jillybeanyarns.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jillybean Yarns</a>. Jilly's yarns are a great favourite of mine as she sources them from farms around her home so they are always interesting, one of a kind blends.I know that Jilly and her family are going through some tough times right now so I hope she can draw comfort from the fact that she brings colour and warmth to the world.<br /><br />&nbsp;I love the way that the grey Jacob fibre in this yarn gives it such a movement and depth. I would describe the feel of this yarn as quite crunchy but lofty, airy, light and warm. A perfect pop of vibrant colour and cosiness for the cooler days.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b7Xa_0Cm4qc/VEOn-yWLdxI/AAAAAAAAFY4/sfI7iqgHTlk/s1600/IMG_5869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b7Xa_0Cm4qc/VEOn-yWLdxI/AAAAAAAAFY4/sfI7iqgHTlk/s1600/IMG_5869.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />The Vedbaek pattern is relatively simple with clean lines ending in an arrowhead motif inspired by Karina's studies of Doggerland, landscape now lost under the north sea and the people who inhabited it.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--nPa1Z6Mz9Q/VEOoB-7JcqI/AAAAAAAAFZA/t6qy9EGY5Ew/s1600/IMG_5870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--nPa1Z6Mz9Q/VEOoB-7JcqI/AAAAAAAAFZA/t6qy9EGY5Ew/s1600/IMG_5870.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />It's the sort of knit where you can lose yourself in the rhythm of the pattern and really enjoy the feel of the yarn as it moves through your fingers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRtrhgFTY40/VEOoFT97jLI/AAAAAAAAFZI/Nm1HF-0eHuw/s1600/IMG_5872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRtrhgFTY40/VEOoFT97jLI/AAAAAAAAFZI/Nm1HF-0eHuw/s1600/IMG_5872.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />The finished article is a simple piece with clean lines which really appeals to my personal sense of style. I'm really glad that for once I decided that it would be good to join the pack.Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-34089022388125921502014-10-13T13:04:00.000+01:002014-10-13T13:08:13.829+01:00Life, the universe and work in progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sister and I are fortunate in that we tend to agree on a lot of things. The issue that would have us both nodding most vigorously in agreement right now would be that tasks always seem to take longer &nbsp;than you imagine they will. We like to think this is because of our optimistic, active depositions. We refuse to countenance any notion that we might sometimes be a little unrealistic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sister and her partner are currently restoring a beautiful house in its own woodland and were hoping to move in this spring. I decided that I would make them a housewarming gift of a crochet blanket. What could be simpler? And crochet is dead quick isn't it? I decided to use up some of my precious stash of discontinued Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4ply and worked up a granny stripe sequence based on how many balls of each colour I had. It will come as no surprise that I have quite a few balls of this yarn so I produced a good long foundation row and got busy with my 3mm hook.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPUPGaab3UM/VDu50udexrI/AAAAAAAAFYI/kSdxRE3nvAQ/s1600/IMG_5857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPUPGaab3UM/VDu50udexrI/AAAAAAAAFYI/kSdxRE3nvAQ/s1600/IMG_5857.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />It soon became clear that despite some evenings of very speedy hooking this project was going to take a lot longer than I thought. Also, the stripe sequence is pretty broad so once committed to an extra repeat it takes a great deal of work to get the pattern symmetrical. I decided however, that if the worst came to the worst I would give the blanket to my sister in whatever state it was in and use our evenings chatting by the fire to finish it. I didn't quite manage it but because I had been sewing my ends in as I went it is still quite useable for snuggling under. This was back in May...<br /><br />Meanwhile back at the house, the decision to add a two storey extension had set back the moving in date a little - phew!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uG42Jh0YMIg/VDu5316pb6I/AAAAAAAAFYQ/9_qJ8aE5PeI/s1600/IMG_5858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uG42Jh0YMIg/VDu5316pb6I/AAAAAAAAFYQ/9_qJ8aE5PeI/s1600/IMG_5858.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />Last week I went to visit the family again and we got out the blanket and wool so that I could add another few stripes. I really hoped that I could get the final stripe sequence finished but despite crocheting busily through several evenings in front of the fire I am still about 10 cms short.<br /><br />Meanwhile, back at the house, the last few coats of plaster are going on the walls....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITVhGduz2ME/VDu56lGaFHI/AAAAAAAAFYY/cnRxmLklzN0/s1600/IMG_5860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITVhGduz2ME/VDu56lGaFHI/AAAAAAAAFYY/cnRxmLklzN0/s1600/IMG_5860.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />And my nephew is still working on his mountain bike trail through the woods.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oYWS3nioXJY/VDu59DLBoTI/AAAAAAAAFYg/IjPIb70xEFc/s1600/IMG_5861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oYWS3nioXJY/VDu59DLBoTI/AAAAAAAAFYg/IjPIb70xEFc/s1600/IMG_5861.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />The next time I plan to visit is Christmas. We are sure that by then we will be sitting by the fire in the new house while I cut off the final loose end on the blanket and my nephew rides a complete circuit of the woods on his new bike...<br /><br />I love being part of a family of optimists!Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-48344311923465706462014-09-30T13:03:00.000+01:002014-09-30T13:24:11.737+01:00The lonely guanaco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As regular readers may recall, I often visit my sister and her family who live in the beautiful and dramatic countryside in Mid Wales. After a long train journey it's lovely to be picked up at the station and make the familiar drive to their village. It's a comfortable feeling to comment on what has changed, what has stayed the same and look out for the sort of wildlife that just doesn't live in an east London back garden. My favourite part of the drive is across a high plateau where red kites and buzzards perch on fences and flocks of sheep graze nearby. Occasionally, if we are very lucky a rather more long necked creature will be grazing amongst the sheep. It's the lonely guanaco.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A guanaco is a camelid, &nbsp;non domesticated member of the llama family which, I understand make extremely effective guard animals for flocks of sheep. Whilst in Mid Wales they might not have coyotes or wolves to contend with, at lambing season the flock can still be vulnerable to foxes and buzzards or badly controlled domestic dogs so this is a working animal. We have often wondered aloud why the guanaco is alone in a field of sheep but have discovered that two or more are less effective as guard animals than one. In other words, they are such sociable creatures that they slack off their job to hang out with their mates.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is why we have always felt a little bit sad for the lonely guanaco, like a lighthouse keeper he is destined to spend his days alone, keeping others from harm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obwoFdNPQvk/VCqTVSHbCUI/AAAAAAAAFXo/fymh99lMVtM/s1600/IMG_5768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obwoFdNPQvk/VCqTVSHbCUI/AAAAAAAAFXo/fymh99lMVtM/s1600/IMG_5768.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div><br />I've told friends this story, also observing that according to the reference books, guanacos have an undercoat which is much prized for its softness, second only to vicuna in the fineness of the fibres. It needs to be separated from the coarser guard hairs which means that the yield per animal is not great. Imagine my surprise and delight last week when a friend who has just come back from the California Wool and Fiber Festival gave me a small caramel coloured cloud and asked if I knew what it was. I could tell straight away that it was a camelid fibre. How we laughed when she told me that it was guanaco, and baby guanaco at that! She said that as soon as she came to the <a href="http://www.royalfibers.co/about.htm" target="_blank">Royal Fibers booth</a>&nbsp;and got chatting with the owner about guanacos she knew she had to bring me some fibre.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J4F21yU2gMk/VCqTYh4uvCI/AAAAAAAAFXw/oj5vEkpUqwk/s1600/IMG_5766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J4F21yU2gMk/VCqTYh4uvCI/AAAAAAAAFXw/oj5vEkpUqwk/s1600/IMG_5766.JPG" height="400" width="273" /></a></div><br />Having never spun such a fine fibre before I got out my trusty copy of the Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook and found the relevant section - complete with a photo of the creatures themselves in their native habitat. The advice was to spin the fibres finely even if I want a thicker yarn so I chose the lightest of my IST spindles and carefully began. I certainly requires more concentration and patience than the more robust fibres that I am used to spinning and I need to take care to remove the very few remaining guard hairs as I go but so far so good.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUSn00skkbA/VCqTc_t7PRI/AAAAAAAAFX4/mtbWYH_PU0o/s1600/IMG_5770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUSn00skkbA/VCqTc_t7PRI/AAAAAAAAFX4/mtbWYH_PU0o/s1600/IMG_5770.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />I have an ounce of the fibre which I am hoping so spin into a heavy lace weight yarn and maybe make some very delicate fingerless gloves so that whenever I wear them I will think of the lonely guanaco and what happens if you are too easily distracted....Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-86261166334979712852014-09-22T11:32:00.000+01:002014-09-22T11:32:15.982+01:00When sock knitting bears fruit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a very warm late summer, this morning, just past the equinox I can feel that things are starting to change. The sky is bright and clear but the air has a crispness to it mingled with the peppery smell of falling leaves on cool damp earth. Autumn may finally be here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k5hbB0UyGqc/VB_2EPz4xMI/AAAAAAAAFWw/irpVo9Onlt0/s1600/IMG_5754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k5hbB0UyGqc/VB_2EPz4xMI/AAAAAAAAFWw/irpVo9Onlt0/s1600/IMG_5754.jpg" height="393" width="400" /></a></div><br />I love this time of year. After the humid lethargy of a London summer, autumn air has a clean energy to it. Best of all, I can continue to use my garden as an outdoor office by making sure I have a good supply of hand knits to wrap up in - what's not to love?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XClNAmt8SsY/VB_2IvWMRkI/AAAAAAAAFW4/cqZrOv2yxVQ/s1600/IMG_5755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XClNAmt8SsY/VB_2IvWMRkI/AAAAAAAAFW4/cqZrOv2yxVQ/s1600/IMG_5755.JPG" height="351" width="400" /></a></div><br />As regular readers will know, I have a large and growing collection of hand knitted socks but that doesn't mean that I take them for granted. Of course, I have many pairs, some knitted in beautiful yarns, others made with intricate patterns and colour work but there is also a place in the sock collection for those work horse socks made with £2 balls of yarn for wearing around the house as you see here. One of them might also have been washed with something red giving it a slight pink tinge but, tucked inside my red Birkenstocks they still keep my toes cosy and fit perfectly. I still wouldn't swap them for a commercial sock.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bgzpo5INPRA/VB_2MCFdTQI/AAAAAAAAFXA/GzTXh03PBdU/s1600/IMG_5760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bgzpo5INPRA/VB_2MCFdTQI/AAAAAAAAFXA/GzTXh03PBdU/s1600/IMG_5760.JPG" height="330" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>&nbsp;At the other end of the scale, these socks that I have just finished are my idea of yarn heaven. I am still going through my top down, plain sock knitting phase and chose one of my precious last skeins of Mountain Colours Bearfoot, a wool and mohair mix which makes some of the cosiest socks I have ever owned. They get quite fuzzy with wear but that just seems to make them feel warmer.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWt0sAyh0KE/VB_2SpAW8aI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/PvU48xwfJk8/s1600/IMG_5762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWt0sAyh0KE/VB_2SpAW8aI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/PvU48xwfJk8/s1600/IMG_5762.JPG" height="262" width="400" /></a></div><br />I'm afraid my camera hasn't quite been able to do justice to the deep reds and blues of the yarn.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOXX46qipeQ/VB_2YL24LqI/AAAAAAAAFXY/WdSs-yEI5og/s1600/IMG_5764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOXX46qipeQ/VB_2YL24LqI/AAAAAAAAFXY/WdSs-yEI5og/s1600/IMG_5764.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></div><br />You won't find me pulling these on first thing in the morning for a day working from home but if you see me out and about in my glad rags you might just find me slipping my shoes off and showing off my socks!Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-16557273909681258942014-09-07T21:02:00.002+01:002014-09-07T22:23:43.019+01:00Creative Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">Last week Rachel from <a href="http://mylifeinknitwear.com/" target="_blank">My Life in Knitwear</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">&nbsp;tagged me as part of a creative blog hop where invitees are asked to talk &nbsp;about their creative processes and methods of working.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">I am lucky in that I work in the fibre crafts industry, primarily as a teacher but&nbsp;also as a designer and in retail. Knitting, crochet and spinning are also my main pastimes so very often my professional life and personal life wind themselves around each other and it can be very difficult to discern where one ends and the other begins at times. For the purposes of this exercise I will be talking about myself as a knitter and reflecting on how that influences my world both professionally and personally.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DVo7Ac3R0OY/VAypOly2n3I/AAAAAAAAFWA/NDctiuPVTMI/s1600/IMG_5750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DVo7Ac3R0OY/VAypOly2n3I/AAAAAAAAFWA/NDctiuPVTMI/s1600/IMG_5750.JPG" height="258" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>1. What am I working on?</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As you can see from the photographs I usually have a range of projects going at any one time on top of any design work that might be going on. I have never been a monogamous knitter as for me, knitting has several different roles in my life and the projects that I take on reflect this. Sometimes I use my knitting as a way to relax at the end of a busy day so I need a project which is relatively simple and repetitive so that I can get into that meditative zone where i can really shake off the issues of the day. I spend a lot of my time travelling on public transport so I like to have a small, simple project such as a plain sock on the needles to fill in the moments when I am lucky enough to get a seat. I have knitted so many socks in my life that I now have the pattern memorised so it is a very easy project but has enough variety in its anatomy to keep me moving forward. Sometimes my imagination is captured by texture and I need to cast on to remind myself of the tactile pleasure of the opportunity to handle so many different materials. In my knitting world there is equal room for the softest merino to crunchier yarns such as Shetland and Jacob so my works in progress reflect this.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alongside the projects that meet my needs for meditation and tactile pleasure are those which I choose to build my skills whether it be a new shape or construction technique, an intricate or complex pattern or a project which may take months rather than weeks to complete.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have huge admiration for many of the designers in the knitting community today and I am delighted that I have the opportunity to enjoy their work whilst creating a niche of my own.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6v9cWWGpQsg/VAypP-dIh5I/AAAAAAAAFWI/Q2v1jSuqJ54/s1600/IMG_5744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6v9cWWGpQsg/VAypP-dIh5I/AAAAAAAAFWI/Q2v1jSuqJ54/s1600/IMG_5744.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wasn't sure how the balance of my work would develop when I decided to become a freelancer in this industry but am really pleased that most of my opportunities have arisen in the field of teaching. Many of my contemporaries appear to be primarily designers who teach. I am a teacher who designs. I teach a range of skills from beginners in knitting, crochet and spinning to intermediate knitters and sock knitters whether they be top downers or bottom uppers!</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I get the greatest pleasure from helping someone gain a new skill and to watch skills and confidence blossom. I find teaching a child to finger knit and seeing them concentrating really hard and showing their work proudly equally satisfying as showing an adult the magic of constructing a sock heel where disbelief needs &nbsp;to be suspended until the shape emerges.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Being someone who loves the company of other people I really enjoy the way that I am constantly learning about how people learn and developing different ways of approaching the teaching of a technique. Above all, the whole process should be fun for all of us. I love to entertain people with the extent of my fibre geekery, tales of mistakes I have made and the size of my yarn stash and to see knitters grow in skills and enthusiasm.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7koBunOnQZ0/VAypRfT8CBI/AAAAAAAAFWQ/M77ZWtGBuxI/s1600/IMG_5743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7koBunOnQZ0/VAypRfT8CBI/AAAAAAAAFWQ/M77ZWtGBuxI/s1600/IMG_5743.JPG" height="236" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3. Why do I create what I do?</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've been a knitter for as long as I have been a reader and a writer so it really feels as if it is part of who I am. It has woven itself through my life in many ways. I have used it to relax, celebrate important occasions, express love for friends and family and preserve a small part of my creative self whilst spending the majority of my life and career in making a living in the world of management. I believe that my passion for sharing the craft with others is partly influenced by how important I believe it is to retain a creative dimension to our lives no matter how busy we are. Knitting is so easy to pick up, carry around and put down that it can easily be used to create a space for quiet, slow craft in our hectic modern lives.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VG47lxr-pXY/VAypUDnAbvI/AAAAAAAAFWY/qSiluDpS0lI/s1600/IMG_5739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VG47lxr-pXY/VAypUDnAbvI/AAAAAAAAFWY/qSiluDpS0lI/s1600/IMG_5739.JPG" height="253" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4. How does my creative process work?</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's quite difficult to find a way to incorporate the word 'process' into a description of how my creativity works. I have huge admiration for people who can produce a consistent volume of high quality design work or knit 52 beautiful pairs of socks in the course of a year. The inside of my head is a bit more like a pinball machine with ideas and enthusiasms bouncing around. I may be completely obsessed with knitting socks for a few weeks and knock out several pairs in quick succession but then all of a sudden I will be seized with the desire to cast on a hat and then someone might mention a particular pattern on a podcast or Ravelry group and I find myself sleepwalking into taking part.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a similar story with my designing - I may not design anything for weeks and then all of a sudden I will become obsessed with a stitch pattern or have a REALLY GOOD IDEA followed by a midnight rummage in the stash and then a design will be flying off my needles. I always design on the needles which can be quite time consuming but I am obsessed with fit and function so want to make sure that the garment really works before I launch it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">All in all, the main theme that underlies my creative life is that I get an enormous amount of pleasure and satisfaction from what I do and being a teacher allows me to share this with other people. I consider myself to be very lucky.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7vWgLb4-ps/VAypWF9nKjI/AAAAAAAAFWg/HRMZRu71ZSA/s1600/IMG_5737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7vWgLb4-ps/VAypWF9nKjI/AAAAAAAAFWg/HRMZRu71ZSA/s1600/IMG_5737.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd like to thank Rachel for tagging me in this challenge as it has really made me sit back and reflect critically on my creativity. I am passing the baton to Natalie of <a href="http://www.theyarnyard.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Yarn Yard</a>&nbsp; and Nic of <a href="http://nickerjac.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nickerjac</a>&nbsp;whose creativity I respect enormously and would be curious to know how they approach these questions. I am also sneaking in a third tag to Frances of <a href="http://cityviewscountrydreams.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">City Views, Country Dreams</a> whose blog I really enjoy!</span>Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-91676236952006008652014-08-24T23:07:00.000+01:002014-08-24T23:19:11.243+01:00Simple pleasures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well as I said in my last post, once I started knitting on those simple socks I found it very difficult to put them down. Within a matter of days I had a brand new pair of stripy socks! I used Yarn Yard Bonny, 2.5mm circular needles and a pattern which originated in the sock recipe in Ann Budd's Handy Book of Knitting Patterns which I have fiddled around with and memorised over the years.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is something very comforting about working on a project that is so familiar that I have memorised the pattern. Despite the simplicity, the project quickly moves through clear stages which prevents it becoming monotonous. Knitting down through the leg the pleasure comes from discovering how the stitch pattern is going to develop. Turning the heel still feels like such a neat and clever process. Most surprisingly of all, I have even learned to enjoy Kitchener stitch, something that until now I have never really felt happy with the results of. The secret for me has been to work the stitches fairly loosely then to place the toe over a darning mushroom and gently tighten up the stitches before fastening them off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Kz2e32ZKkc/U_pd6KQ65II/AAAAAAAAFVQ/veq_fgtU4W4/s1600/IMG_5705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Kz2e32ZKkc/U_pd6KQ65II/AAAAAAAAFVQ/veq_fgtU4W4/s1600/IMG_5705.JPG" height="400" width="367" /></a></div><br />I enjoyed the process so much I couldn't resist casting on another pair, once again in Yarn Yarn Bonny.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqH8mKXpMlY/U_pd9KklZFI/AAAAAAAAFVY/iug-jZjKBdQ/s1600/IMG_5701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UqH8mKXpMlY/U_pd9KklZFI/AAAAAAAAFVY/iug-jZjKBdQ/s1600/IMG_5701.JPG" height="398" width="400" /></a></div><br />One of the things that I find fascinating about knitting with hand painted variegated yarns is that you can never quite predict how the garment will turn out as the placement of colours is subject to so many variables, the length of the skein, number of stitches, size of the needles and most importantly the placement of colours by the dyer.<br /><br />As you can see by the example of these socks, both pairs are knitted in the same yarn, with the same sized needles to the same pattern. However, the way in which the colours work with each other has led to completely different striping effects. I have no idea how it happens.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DAsrAAK1RZU/U_pd_4Pxy7I/AAAAAAAAFVg/RhouO5qllwo/s1600/IMG_5710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DAsrAAK1RZU/U_pd_4Pxy7I/AAAAAAAAFVg/RhouO5qllwo/s1600/IMG_5710.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;With the grey and yellow socks the stripes are broken and shadowy whilst on the red and green socks the stripes are clear and unbroken.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UJZwpxO8C0U/U_peBAZdWOI/AAAAAAAAFVo/Jhni3aiSnTU/s1600/IMG_5703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UJZwpxO8C0U/U_peBAZdWOI/AAAAAAAAFVo/Jhni3aiSnTU/s1600/IMG_5703.JPG" height="400" width="341" /></a></div><br />I may have cast on another pair...Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-58135152522633325102014-08-15T16:33:00.000+01:002014-08-15T16:35:09.806+01:00Going Back to my Roots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hadn't realised how much my sock knitting had declined until the other day when my friend<a href="http://ravelledsleeve.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Sadie</a> asked me how many pairs of socks I had knitted in the last couple of years. I thought about it, had a bit of a count up and realised that in that time I have made only five pairs for myself and three as magazine samples. A glance down the side bar of this blog will show that in previous years I made far more than this, peaking at the point where I managed to finish 29 pairs in one year when I took it into my head to enter the 52 Pair Plunge on Ravelry and failed. I am in awe of anyone who has the speed and dedication to manage all 52 as I was pretty proud of a score of 29!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I mentioned in my last post I have come across a fair number of half finished pairs of socks in my WIP baskets and have joined the more modest 26 Pair Plunge this year as a way to motivate myself to get them off the needles. Next out of the basket are these, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/probablyjane/kristi/edit" target="_blank">Kristi by Cookie A.</a> This time I had already recorded them on Ravelry and was somewhat staggered to read that I had started them in August 2010 - exactly 4 years ago and had almost completed the heel turn on the first sock when I last put them down. Over the last few days I've managed to finish the first sock. The pattern in itself isn't difficult to accomplish but needs pretty regular reference to the large chart which means they aren't good for travel knitting.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUwTjtC91wY/U-4V2cgcVjI/AAAAAAAAFUc/zdh6xjG8fzE/s1600/IMG_5691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUwTjtC91wY/U-4V2cgcVjI/AAAAAAAAFUc/zdh6xjG8fzE/s1600/IMG_5691.JPG" height="280" width="400" /></a></div><br />This probably explains why they were abandoned as most of my socks have been knitted on the go so I need a different approach to be able to complete them. I am aiming to do about an inch or so every evening between other commitments as I am determined to get them finished now I've been reunited with them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gcOTxOpAGiI/U-4V6M-0PtI/AAAAAAAAFUk/Tau3bOk56H4/s1600/IMG_5694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gcOTxOpAGiI/U-4V6M-0PtI/AAAAAAAAFUk/Tau3bOk56H4/s1600/IMG_5694.JPG" height="277" width="400" /></a></div><br />This return to sock knitting and realisation that I have had half finished socks languishing in my basket for so long has made me reflect on how long sock knitting has been part of my life. I estimate that I taught myself to knit socks at least 10 years ago and have been knitting them steadily ever since. When I first started knitting socks I was charmed by self striping and variegated yarns as they made it so easy to make an interesting pair of socks with very little effort but as my skills developed and I started knitting more complex and patterned socks like the ones above, I became more interested in semi solid and solid coloured yarns and set the variegated yarns aside.<br /><br />We human beings can be very fickle though, and as I was twisting stitches this way and that on my Kristi socks I started thinking about how lovely it would be to just grab a jolly skein of variegated yarn and just knit away on a good old basic sock, so I went on a little stash dive and came up with this little beauty, one of <a href="http://www.theyarnyard.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Yarn Yard</a> club yarns in what is still one of my favourite sock yarn bases, Bonny, a no nonsense 75%wool, 25% polyamide sock yarn which is properly warm and woolly and wears really well like a good sock yarn should.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VBh5Mmwsbzc/U-4V9tTxBWI/AAAAAAAAFUs/C69LugLsIhU/s1600/IMG_5683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VBh5Mmwsbzc/U-4V9tTxBWI/AAAAAAAAFUs/C69LugLsIhU/s1600/IMG_5683.JPG" height="198" width="400" /></a></div><br />Despite the fact that I have been knitting most of my socks from the toe up in recent years I decided that I might as well take the whole journey down memory lane and cast on some good old fashioned top down flap and gusset socks. That was last night and I can't seem to put them down... <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N10LlTuUdW8/U-4WBKNNVqI/AAAAAAAAFU0/VD6ywPzXZuk/s1600/IMG_5697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N10LlTuUdW8/U-4WBKNNVqI/AAAAAAAAFU0/VD6ywPzXZuk/s1600/IMG_5697.JPG" height="321" width="400" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;It seems to me that a lot of sock yarn dyers including The Yarn Yard have responded to their customers' desire for more semi solid and solid shades and good, well planned variegated skeins are a little more hard to come by. Which is why I am relieved that my stash diving revealed that I have a nice healthy stash of Yarn Yard Bonny to satisfy the craving for old school sock knitting for a little while.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ypqjvAudob4/U-4WDtx2XgI/AAAAAAAAFU8/iuEvi2SKIbY/s1600/IMG_5698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ypqjvAudob4/U-4WDtx2XgI/AAAAAAAAFU8/iuEvi2SKIbY/s1600/IMG_5698.JPG" height="342" width="400" /></a></div><br />Speaking of old school sock knitting I am delighted to say that I am going back to my roots and will be teaching a three week introduction to top - down sock knitting at <a href="http://knitwithattitude.com/shop/" target="_blank">Knit with Attitude</a>&nbsp;starting on October 12th 2014. There will be more details on the shop web site very soon. Participants will have the chance to observe the true extent of my rediscovered sock geekery.<br /><br />That means that I can now get back to the sofa, get out my sock in progress and carry on knitting secure in the knowledge that it is of course, teaching preparation!Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-38849049431211311002014-08-08T20:04:00.001+01:002014-08-08T20:34:04.354+01:00Rosebud<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back in March I had a good rummage in my WIP basket and found <a href="http://janesprobablyknitting.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/whats-lurking-at-bottom-of-your.html" target="_blank">these unfinished socks</a>. With the help of knowledgeable blog readers I was able to identify them as <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rosebud-socks" target="_blank">Rosebud Socks by Wendy Johnson</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With pattern and socks reunited I was resolved to get them finished and immediately got several pattern repeats under my belt. It felt very strange working with 2.25mm wooden needles and was convinced that they would break at every stitch but didn't want to change needles as in my experience, even a change to the same size needle in another medium can affect my tension so I pressed on!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLu3_8Mw6Ao/U-UbOakpmUI/AAAAAAAAFT0/UKYHpAhsg90/s1600/IMG_5669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLu3_8Mw6Ao/U-UbOakpmUI/AAAAAAAAFT0/UKYHpAhsg90/s1600/IMG_5669.jpg" height="640" width="392" /></a></div><br />However, after making some good progress I am afraid that they were set on one side again as other projects took priority. Finally, at the beginning of July I decided to join the 26 Pair Plunge on Ravelry as a way of encouraging myself to get my large pile of half finished socks off the needles, one way or another.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KOFnO4zquSU/U-UbRu1OtsI/AAAAAAAAFT8/YsTvPxMaDZg/s1600/IMG_5670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KOFnO4zquSU/U-UbRu1OtsI/AAAAAAAAFT8/YsTvPxMaDZg/s1600/IMG_5670.jpg" height="640" width="476" /></a></div><br />I'm pleased to say that it was the encouragement I needed to finish these pretty socks and they are now pair number 2 of my 26 pair target.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34Cki4fOxMA/U-UbU6oV-lI/AAAAAAAAFUE/acy5Eke2GZ0/s1600/IMG_5672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34Cki4fOxMA/U-UbU6oV-lI/AAAAAAAAFUE/acy5Eke2GZ0/s1600/IMG_5672.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div><br />Once the rhythm of the pattern is established it is an enjoyable knit which I was able to finish relatively quickly. The Artist's Palette yarn is a pleasure to knit with and these socks will make a welcome addition to my sock drawer.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A4WSj3NM82w/U-UbX6DWlgI/AAAAAAAAFUM/wfz0mllZ-u0/s1600/IMG_5675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A4WSj3NM82w/U-UbX6DWlgI/AAAAAAAAFUM/wfz0mllZ-u0/s1600/IMG_5675.JPG" height="263" width="400" /></a></div><br />Only 24 pairs to go...Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-5289952077699601542014-08-03T13:03:00.000+01:002014-08-03T13:26:55.260+01:00Is it really a week since Fibre East?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I can't believe it's a whole week since <a href="http://nickerjac.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nic</a> and I made our debut as vendors at <a href="http://www.fibre-east.co.uk/" target="_blank">Fibre East</a>. First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who came by to see us, try on samples, buy my patterns and Nic's lovely yarn. We were overwhelmed with how well received we were and the lovely comments that people made. It made all the hard work well worth it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X3DhtA22sFU/U94dXpfdRHI/AAAAAAAAFS8/3cGsJn4G2C8/s1600/IMG_5630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X3DhtA22sFU/U94dXpfdRHI/AAAAAAAAFS8/3cGsJn4G2C8/s1600/IMG_5630.JPG" height="247" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nic's yarns are not only beautifully dyed, as you can see, they are also wound into 50g cakes and ingeniously packaged into ready to go wrappers which makes them look like giant sweeties! Perfect for the knitter who wants instant gratification. She will soon be putting any yarn that she has left up on her online shop so keep an eye out for it.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Scyu7NoJxM/U94dTkGVywI/AAAAAAAAFS0/DPFfq5PouKA/s1600/IMG_5624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Scyu7NoJxM/U94dTkGVywI/AAAAAAAAFS0/DPFfq5PouKA/s1600/IMG_5624.JPG" height="323" width="400" /></a></div><br />Here is a close up look of my little case, inherited from my dad, &nbsp;overflowing with samples, looking nice and tidy at the beginning of the day.<br /><br />Fibre East is a lovely, well organised festival which manages to feel relaxed even though it is buzzing with fibre enthusiasts, teachers and vendors of all sorts, sheep shearing demonstrations and a whole marquee dedicated to 'having a go'. There is plenty of outside space and places to sit which is a good job as, particularly on Saturday it was eye wateringly hot. How anyone managed to try on mitts I just don't know but I certainly appreciate it.<br /><br />Of course, it was impossible to resist having a little explore and appreciating the work of other vendors. I was delighted to see that one of my favourite yarn sellers, <a href="http://www.thelittlegreysheep.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Little Grey Sheep</a> were at the other end of our marquee. I have knitted a pair of my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fairlee-mittens" target="_blank">Fairlee Mittens</a> in some of their Stein lace and Emma, the farmer and dyer came over to say how much she liked them and graciously took one as a sample for her own stand. One of the things that I love about the fibre community is how people support each other.<br /><br />Of course, I couldn't leave the festival without adding to my collection of her mini skeins of Stein Lace.. I mean, take a look at them - how could I not? They also appeal to the sheep geek in me - the Stein sheep is a cross breed between Shetland and Gotland sheep and has the bounce of Shetland combined with the sheen of Gotland. It is a light fingering to heavy lace weight - perfect for colour work accessories.<br /><br />I am planning to have some colour work fun this summer.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pc8ZMoBK0TY/U94dccHCu2I/AAAAAAAAFTE/63lThCHP258/s1600/IMG_5646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pc8ZMoBK0TY/U94dccHCu2I/AAAAAAAAFTE/63lThCHP258/s1600/IMG_5646.JPG" height="260" width="400" /></a></div><br />The main problem is choosing colour combinations.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6DITBrjcWlI/U94delbI8bI/AAAAAAAAFTM/mx1EGkc7_ko/s1600/IMG_5649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6DITBrjcWlI/U94delbI8bI/AAAAAAAAFTM/mx1EGkc7_ko/s1600/IMG_5649.JPG" height="250" width="400" /></a></div><br />So I had a little bit of fun trying out some of my favourites.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zLFRRV3FPNw/U94djLZJwwI/AAAAAAAAFTU/_fRe_34Ju_I/s1600/IMG_5652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zLFRRV3FPNw/U94djLZJwwI/AAAAAAAAFTU/_fRe_34Ju_I/s1600/IMG_5652.JPG" height="252" width="400" /></a></div><br />The possibilities are endless.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5tXPQMyLr0E/U94dmn1BTtI/AAAAAAAAFTc/kWBZH7TySm0/s1600/IMG_5654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5tXPQMyLr0E/U94dmn1BTtI/AAAAAAAAFTc/kWBZH7TySm0/s1600/IMG_5654.JPG" height="262" width="400" /></a></div><br />It's hard to find a combination I don't like. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-et-9JH_iSmI/U94dqWhQrSI/AAAAAAAAFTk/cMajfSqLuL0/s1600/IMG_5657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-et-9JH_iSmI/U94dqWhQrSI/AAAAAAAAFTk/cMajfSqLuL0/s1600/IMG_5657.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div><br />Don't you just love knitting?Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-57760521192667224252014-07-29T12:04:00.000+01:002014-07-29T12:08:47.148+01:00Three new patterns available to download<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm very pleased to say that after their successful launch at Fibre East this weekend these mitts are now available to download from Ravelry. Just follow the link beneath each photograph or in the side bar.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUeNyweWAao/U9d8bEP96II/AAAAAAAAFSU/QwVFuvcAhGY/s1600/bouldnor+mitts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUeNyweWAao/U9d8bEP96II/AAAAAAAAFSU/QwVFuvcAhGY/s1600/bouldnor+mitts.jpg" height="640" width="500" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bouldnor-mitts" target="_blank">Bouldnor Mitts</a><br /><br /><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section" style="background-color: rgb(100.000000%, 100.000000%, 100.000000%);"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 11pt;">The beach at Bouldnor on the Isle of Wight is small, secluded and rocky but it has a hidden treasure. As a family we would take our nets and slipping and slithering on the rocks and seaweed harvest juicy prawns which we would cook over a stove on the beach and watch the sun go down. This pattern reminds me of the interlocking fronds of the seaweed.&nbsp;</span></div></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-shhFA_3VLX0/U9d8bYqeooI/AAAAAAAAFSY/QjJzxrZ6lHc/s1600/Broadlands+mitts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-shhFA_3VLX0/U9d8bYqeooI/AAAAAAAAFSY/QjJzxrZ6lHc/s1600/Broadlands+mitts.jpg" height="370" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/broadlands-mitts" target="_blank">Broadlands Mitts</a><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">I am descended from Nottinghamshire lace makers who came to work at Broadlands Lace Factory in Newport Isle of Wight in the early nineteenth century. The building still exists as apartments having spent some years as government offices. The decorative cabled lace panel contrasted with the austere ribbing on this mitt evoke the phases in the life of this building.</span>&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pKFJMsNjk0/U9d8bH16g9I/AAAAAAAAFSc/g0zdYjzc2_E/s1600/Hillis+gate+mitts+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pKFJMsNjk0/U9d8bH16g9I/AAAAAAAAFSc/g0zdYjzc2_E/s1600/Hillis+gate+mitts+2.jpg" height="360" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hillis-gate-mitts" target="_blank">Hillis Gate Mitts</a><br /><br /><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section" style="background-color: rgb(100.000000%, 100.000000%, 100.000000%);"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A mitt inspired by the deep eaves and tall chimneys of Hillis Gate Lodge, the cottage in the forest where my grandparents lived.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As you can see, I have drawn a lot of my recent inspiration from my family history on the Isle of Wight.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I hope you like them.</span></span></div></div></div></div>Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-44903976877302392552014-07-25T13:24:00.002+01:002014-07-25T20:26:12.715+01:00Introducing the Hillis Gate Mitts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I just have time to give you one more pattern preview before Fibre East, The Hillis Gate Mitts. This design is also inspired by the history of my family on the Isle of Wight. The pattern reminds me of the tall chimneys and deep eaves of </span>Hillis<span style="text-align: left;"> Gate Lodge, the cottage that my grandparents lived in from the 1930s to the 1950s. The cottage is one of the gate lodges to </span>Parkhurst<span style="text-align: left;"> Forest in the north west of the Island. My maternal grandparents moved there with their three children when my mum, the youngest was very small. My grandfather was employed as a forester and this was a 'tied cottage' which meant that he could live there as long as he was a forester. The cottage is incredibly picturesque as you can see but through all the time my grandparents lived there it had no running water, indoor plumbing or electricity. My grandmother would light the 'copper' on a Sunday night ready for bath night and the Monday wash. Mum and my uncles did their homework by gaslight and calls of nature were answered in the earth closet at the bottom of the garden.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was, however, a happy home of which my mum and uncles spoke fondly. When my parents were married they spent the first three years of their married life there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-30qOXw8R6Fw/U9JDr4wkuSI/AAAAAAAAFSE/QmkFCygmtqY/s1600/11100_08545_IMG_00_0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-30qOXw8R6Fw/U9JDr4wkuSI/AAAAAAAAFSE/QmkFCygmtqY/s1600/11100_08545_IMG_00_0000.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It did occur to me however, that it might on occasions have been quite chilly so I designed a pair of short but cosy mitts in sport weight yarn that could be worn around the house as well as outdoors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S62XfUQ7xdg/U9JC8JTSgzI/AAAAAAAAFRc/4MzkezINQCM/s1600/Hillis+gate+mitts+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S62XfUQ7xdg/U9JC8JTSgzI/AAAAAAAAFRc/4MzkezINQCM/s1600/Hillis+gate+mitts+2.jpg" height="361" width="400" /></a></div><br />The green pair are made in Yarn Yard Hug in a lovely 1930s inspired shade of green.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykCisewptAw/U9JC9yusz6I/AAAAAAAAFRk/2u8rGUCdqRs/s1600/Hillis+gate+mitts+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ykCisewptAw/U9JC9yusz6I/AAAAAAAAFRk/2u8rGUCdqRs/s1600/Hillis+gate+mitts+1.jpg" height="640" width="458" /></a></div><br />The cable rib design is good and stretchy and runs uninterrupted from cuff to fingertips.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JN4SK87Nk_4/U9JDAr9XrdI/AAAAAAAAFRs/Ouvf5sF9UDE/s1600/IMG_5579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JN4SK87Nk_4/U9JDAr9XrdI/AAAAAAAAFRs/Ouvf5sF9UDE/s1600/IMG_5579.jpg" height="315" width="400" /></a></div><br />The pattern is echoed on the thumbs.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SpAzh41pUgE/U9JDCLjl7SI/AAAAAAAAFR0/X8bl2nTeks4/s1600/Hillis+Gate+mitts+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SpAzh41pUgE/U9JDCLjl7SI/AAAAAAAAFR0/X8bl2nTeks4/s1600/Hillis+Gate+mitts+5.jpg" height="400" width="391" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The yellow pair are made from Quince &amp; Co Chickadee in the Apricot colourway.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ8RbD2p3dA/U9JDD80jeDI/AAAAAAAAFR8/agWs2sVmmTA/s1600/IMG_5597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ8RbD2p3dA/U9JDD80jeDI/AAAAAAAAFR8/agWs2sVmmTA/s1600/IMG_5597.jpg" height="372" width="400" /></a></div><br />Both versions can be made with less than 50g of yarn.<br /><br />This is the last of my pre Fibre East previews. I do hope that if you are there you will come over to our stand,' Nic and Jane' in Cotswold Tent. We'd be delighted if you would come over and say hello, squish some yarn and try the mitts on albeit briefly as the forecast says it will be hot - even though here in east London as I write we are in the middle of a torrential thunder storm!Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-51772261175787239952014-07-24T08:05:00.001+01:002014-07-24T09:22:40.539+01:00Introducing the Broadlands Mitts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The design that I am previewing for you today is inspired by the industrial history of the 19th century, the story of one building and its relationship with my family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Broadlands House is an imposing building on the outskirts of Newport, Isle of Wight. It has recently, as is the way with many such buildings, been converted into apartments. In my youth it was the offices of the Department of Health and Social Security but before that it was a lace factory which played a part in the history of my family.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My three times great grandfather, George Sutton and his son, William, my great, great grandfather moved from Radford in Nottinghamshire, one of the centres of lace making in England soon after 1827 when the lace factory was established. Both worked as lace makers at the factory for many years. George retired some time before 1851 and by 1861 William was a farmer. The factory produced their own patented machine made blonde lace &nbsp;and was established in such a a 'remote' location as the Isle of Wight so that improvements in their skills and techniques could not be copied by neighbouring manufacturers. Eventually, however, they found it more and more difficult to compete as blonde lace ceased to be fashionable and finally closed on the retirement of the owner in 1877.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F1X05t_gZEo/U88CEjDjxSI/AAAAAAAAFQM/YPcsC9j70LA/s1600/IMG_5556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F1X05t_gZEo/U88CEjDjxSI/AAAAAAAAFQM/YPcsC9j70LA/s1600/IMG_5556.jpg" height="640" width="452" /></a></div><br />The Broadlands Mitts were inspired by the beauty and intricacy of this lace contrasted with the austerity of the lines of the building.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bM8JtwHvVWI/U88CIZ-rYlI/AAAAAAAAFQU/0JuC-4w0NlQ/s1600/IMG_5557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bM8JtwHvVWI/U88CIZ-rYlI/AAAAAAAAFQU/0JuC-4w0NlQ/s1600/IMG_5557.JPG" height="370" width="400" /></a></div><br />A panel of cables and lace runs up the index finger of each mitt<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CllXJCOhj9o/U88CLwBm5wI/AAAAAAAAFQc/wz6vNg-XlP8/s1600/IMG_5558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CllXJCOhj9o/U88CLwBm5wI/AAAAAAAAFQc/wz6vNg-XlP8/s1600/IMG_5558.JPG" height="195" width="400" /></a></div><br />The rest of the mitt is knitted in an austere ribbing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5pE4YtSQNh8/U88CP8mBD-I/AAAAAAAAFQk/hM56b7qdfxE/s1600/IMG_5563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5pE4YtSQNh8/U88CP8mBD-I/AAAAAAAAFQk/hM56b7qdfxE/s1600/IMG_5563.JPG" height="280" width="400" /></a></div><br />The pattern gives two options, a wrist length set shown in the olive green which can be completed with 50g of Cascade Heritage sock yarn available from <a href="http://www.wildandwoollyshop.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wild and Woolly</a> in Clapton, London or an elbow length version which require 75g of Wollemeise Pure sock yarn available from <a href="http://www.loopknitting.com/" target="_blank">Loop</a> in Islington, London.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7mzds1oVIw/U88CTMVSG3I/AAAAAAAAFQs/sLdGEFCiAos/s1600/IMG_5564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A7mzds1oVIw/U88CTMVSG3I/AAAAAAAAFQs/sLdGEFCiAos/s1600/IMG_5564.jpg" height="640" width="484" /></a></div><br />The pattern also features an asymmetric thumb gusset which is reversed on each mitt to ensure that the lace panel is as smooth and uninterrupted as possible.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vI5WOdiX8Do/U88CWmacUxI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/cVyfMcH4eKc/s1600/IMG_5565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vI5WOdiX8Do/U88CWmacUxI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/cVyfMcH4eKc/s1600/IMG_5565.jpg" height="640" width="496" /></a></div><br /><br />The pattern for these mitts will be launched on our stand, Nic and Jane at Fibre East this weekend and will be available as a download from Ravelry next week.<br /><br />I would like to think that my grandfathers would approve of me carrying on a form of the family trade!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Photography by Nic Walker.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-79714786979533325912014-07-22T13:04:00.002+01:002014-07-22T13:14:43.502+01:00Introducing the Bouldnor Mitts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This weekend, the 26th and 27th July is rather a momentous one for me. For the first time, my friend Nic and I will have our own stand at Fibre East, a lovely fibre festival in Bedfordshire where Nic will be selling her beautiful hand dyed yarns and I will be selling my patterns.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm delighted to say that I have a new collection of patterns which will be launched in hard copy at Fibre East and will be available online&nbsp;via Ravelry next week. I thought you might like to see a preview of at least some of them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you will know, my favourite things to design are fingerless mitts. I love wearing them as they are such a practical item for someone like me who lives in a city and needs something to keep my hands warm when it is chilly but is forever getting on and off buses, in and out of shops and really can't be doing with pulling my gloves off every time I need to reach for my Oyster card or rummage in my handbag.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite living in the city, I am still a country girl at heard and most of the inspiration for my work comes from my childhood home on the isle of Wight. The first pair of mitts I wanted to show you are no exception.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aMnNjnoNWhQ/U85KOXrr7AI/AAAAAAAAFPU/JZDqo8gis7w/s1600/bouldnor+mitts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aMnNjnoNWhQ/U85KOXrr7AI/AAAAAAAAFPU/JZDqo8gis7w/s1600/bouldnor+mitts.jpg" height="640" width="500" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;I am pleased to introduce the Bouldnor Mitts. The inspiration for these heavily cabled mitts comes from a small, rather inaccessible and rocky beach on the north west coast of the Isle of Wight. On the surface it doesn't have a lot to offer as once you have scrambled down the overgrown footpath to reach it there is only a small patch of shingly sand and blue slipper clay, perfect for getting on you shoes and annoying your mother with.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JCq-8N-pE5M/U85KQ0h1p5I/AAAAAAAAFPc/Y5RWnRygvMc/s1600/IMG_5551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JCq-8N-pE5M/U85KQ0h1p5I/AAAAAAAAFPc/Y5RWnRygvMc/s1600/IMG_5551.JPG" height="640" width="552" /></a></div><br />As you explore further you discover that there are rocky ledges and long fronds of seaweed making the footing quite treacherous so after much slipping around and gasping and giggling everyone is pretty much wet through. It is these fronds of seaweed that inspire these mitts.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1He8QktaO3c/U85KTNaREYI/AAAAAAAAFPk/UCBpZNHiKVc/s1600/IMG_5549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1He8QktaO3c/U85KTNaREYI/AAAAAAAAFPk/UCBpZNHiKVc/s1600/IMG_5549.jpg" height="640" width="500" /></a></div><br />Although the charms of this beach may not be obvious it has hidden secrets which it doesn't give up easily. We always used to visit with our Uncle Bern and Aunty Gert who knew every inch of the land and shore. They would bring with them huge prawning nets (and a small one especially for us kids) which we would push through the seaweed and sand and if we were lucky would catch ourselves enough prawns for a beach barbecue.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GwT5C-Y4AzA/U85KWdHtZYI/AAAAAAAAFPs/i6lJNRfZCMY/s1600/IMG_5552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GwT5C-Y4AzA/U85KWdHtZYI/AAAAAAAAFPs/i6lJNRfZCMY/s1600/IMG_5552.jpg" height="640" width="491" /></a></div><br />There is nothing quite like sitting around a fire, wrapped in towels after hours spend splashing around pushing heavy nets through the water, peeling fresh prawns and watching the sun go down over the sea from a beach where you are the only people there. On an island crowded with holiday makers this was a rare and special secret place.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bg6AoIeunwE/U85KabmRiRI/AAAAAAAAFP0/94R_dTiQUvI/s1600/IMG_5555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bg6AoIeunwE/U85KabmRiRI/AAAAAAAAFP0/94R_dTiQUvI/s1600/IMG_5555.jpg" height="640" width="524" /></a></div><br />When I look at these mitts I think of the way the fronds of seaweed wrapped around each other and how jealously they guarded our harvest. It is, however, a simple cable pattern knit in fingering weight yarn, in this instance Quince and Co Tern, a wool and silk blend in the appropriately names shade Kelp.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jIRf-kykqa8/U85KdFv4RoI/AAAAAAAAFP8/XBLVrEEXDBY/s1600/bouldnor+mitts+palm+-+Version+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jIRf-kykqa8/U85KdFv4RoI/AAAAAAAAFP8/XBLVrEEXDBY/s1600/bouldnor+mitts+palm+-+Version+2.JPG" height="640" width="403" /></a></div><br />I hope to see some of you at Fibre East. Nic and I will be in Cotswold Tent. Do come over and try on these mitts and imagine yourself sitting on a rock, looking out to sea from a small deserted beach.<br /><br />Thanks to Nic for the great photos.Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-9171853040728583732014-07-18T15:01:00.000+01:002014-07-18T15:05:23.751+01:00Sound and memory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday I had a brief Twitter conversation with a couple of friends about how one person might find a particular sound sinister and unsettling whilst another might find it soothing and reassuring. This resonates with the images and memories that a certain sound, possibly heard many years ago, might evoke.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The sound in question was the tinkling of wind chimes. For some it is eerie and reminiscent of horror and suspense movies. I blame John Carpenter for this. Other people find any regular sound that they are not in control of disturbing. I love the sound as it holds warm and happy memories for me. Our family had a set of Japanese glass wind chimes which were too delicate to be used every day so they were carefully packed away and brought out every Christmas along with the more traditional ornaments. I remember being allowed to gently pull the string and listen to the soft tinkling sound the chimes made as they touched each other. Inevitably, even with this careful use, one by one the chimes broke until it was no longer repairable.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sister and I often spoke nostalgically of these chimes. None of the modern ones sounded &nbsp;or looked 'right' to us. One day, however I struck Ebay gold...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ncwlw04Novs/U8keq0w0wxI/AAAAAAAAFOM/96vh51KdlN4/s1600/IMG_5606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ncwlw04Novs/U8keq0w0wxI/AAAAAAAAFOM/96vh51KdlN4/s1600/IMG_5606.jpg" height="400" width="381" /></a></div><br />Two very unprepossessing cardboard boxes arrived in the post.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PwgK87QQMdk/U8kevsY6I3I/AAAAAAAAFOU/FhNyU18SUBc/s1600/IMG_5608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PwgK87QQMdk/U8kevsY6I3I/AAAAAAAAFOU/FhNyU18SUBc/s1600/IMG_5608.JPG" height="252" width="400" /></a></div><br />The packaging gives a clue to the vintage of their contents. We think they must date from the 1950's or early 1960's.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZTJkwi8qEA/U8keyS8dc-I/AAAAAAAAFOc/HYANRPleWUU/s1600/IMG_5611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZTJkwi8qEA/U8keyS8dc-I/AAAAAAAAFOc/HYANRPleWUU/s1600/IMG_5611.JPG" height="330" width="400" /></a></div><br />Inside, instead of today's ubiquitous bubble wrap is a nest of the finest wood shavings to protect the delicate contents.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_DRjPLAQLy0/U8ke6tyKtvI/AAAAAAAAFOk/XP8iRjFKYSg/s1600/Windchime+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_DRjPLAQLy0/U8ke6tyKtvI/AAAAAAAAFOk/XP8iRjFKYSg/s1600/Windchime+4.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></div><br />Slowly and gently, the chimes start to emerge from the tangled strands and the wind chime starts to take shape.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwoTxaFnEEE/U8ke8y877fI/AAAAAAAAFOs/pMVGTFBGOyM/s1600/IMG_5615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwoTxaFnEEE/U8ke8y877fI/AAAAAAAAFOs/pMVGTFBGOyM/s1600/IMG_5615.JPG" height="326" width="400" /></a></div><br />The glass chimes are all hand painted in very simple, but obviously Japanese strokes of colour. Some are long and thin and made of clear glass.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3Th0UV4cyU/U8ke-uTdzxI/AAAAAAAAFO0/K38p6Kgk0Wg/s1600/IMG_5617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3Th0UV4cyU/U8ke-uTdzxI/AAAAAAAAFO0/K38p6Kgk0Wg/s1600/IMG_5617.jpg" height="338" width="400" /></a></div><br />Others are diamond shaped. They are joined to the frame by the most flimsy of red strings, secured to the glass by small circles of gold paper.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gOqFBY2JVMQ/U8kfBIMLfcI/AAAAAAAAFO8/gpdvRD0MS24/s1600/IMG_5618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gOqFBY2JVMQ/U8kfBIMLfcI/AAAAAAAAFO8/gpdvRD0MS24/s1600/IMG_5618.JPG" height="400" width="275" /></a></div><br />Whilst the painting style is consistent, the shards of glass are cut from a range of clear and textured glasses making me wonder whether these were the offcuts from domestic glazing re purposed into something beautiful.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ1vbCspj4Q/U8kfDN6nyXI/AAAAAAAAFPE/nH9wtQ6fRGo/s1600/IMG_5622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ1vbCspj4Q/U8kfDN6nyXI/AAAAAAAAFPE/nH9wtQ6fRGo/s1600/IMG_5622.jpg" height="640" width="466" /></a></div><br />The whole thing is suspended from a network of red strings attached to two fine circles of tin, all knotted at the top to secure them with a small grey tag hanging down which can be gently pulled to hear the chimes.<br /><br />It was so lucky that I was able to find two of these so I gave the other to my sister as a way of evoking happy memories of gathering together at Christmas as a family. As I write this I listen to the news and can't help but think about those people who set off on journeys and will now never return home and also of those whose homes are no longer safe places.<br /><br />While I prepare for Fibre East I am reminded that no matter how busy I am I will make time to visit the P-Hop stand. Never has the work of Doctors Without Borders been more important.Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-90151082711328306922014-07-14T20:07:00.003+01:002014-07-14T20:09:41.907+01:00Sheep in the City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As regular readers may know, my friend <a href="http://nickerjac.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nic</a> and I have been working with <a href="http://stepneycityfarm.org/" target="_blank">Stepney City Farm</a> over the last year. We run a knitting group there every Thursday lunchtime, have organised a Fleecy Fun Day and participated in their recent craft fair and are very much known as 'their knitters!'</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As with most City Farms, Stepney is run as a working farm with the purpose of offering an educational and community development resource to local people. Amongst their livestock are four <a href="http://www.jacobsheepsociety.co.uk/" target="_blank">Jacob sheep</a>, Tallulah, Trixie, Rosemary and one other whose name I am afraid I have forgotten. &nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFc8MmT8vWY/U8QawG6Qp7I/AAAAAAAAFMs/5-GrpzDKQ5o/s1600/IMG_5210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFc8MmT8vWY/U8QawG6Qp7I/AAAAAAAAFMs/5-GrpzDKQ5o/s1600/IMG_5210.JPG" height="332" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: left;">Jacob sheep are a rare breed with coloured fleeces which whilst not the softest in the world are still popular with hand spinners. This year two of the farm workers were trained in sheep shearing and we were asked to process their fleeces and to use them to demonstrate how the wool on a sheep's back can be put to use.</span><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b_CfyUAOJoM/U8Qay3PD2cI/AAAAAAAAFM0/hGWf1MXChqA/s1600/IMG_5213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b_CfyUAOJoM/U8Qay3PD2cI/AAAAAAAAFM0/hGWf1MXChqA/s1600/IMG_5213.JPG" height="296" width="400" /></a></div><br />The first task was to wash, or scour the fleece which in its natural state is full of lanolin, dust and vegetable matter. As you can see, no specialist equipment is required, simply hot water, liquid soap, a clean cat litter tray and an old colander. Feline supervision is optional.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vVL8Sr4kK2w/U8QbdGr_aMI/AAAAAAAAFM8/topdKz5lR5A/s1600/BqpHDOLIQAAUOGQ-1.jpg-large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vVL8Sr4kK2w/U8QbdGr_aMI/AAAAAAAAFM8/topdKz5lR5A/s1600/BqpHDOLIQAAUOGQ-1.jpg-large.jpeg" height="297" width="400" /></a></div><br />Once washed and dried an old pillow case makes a handy storage bag for the fleece.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A3iRYS9tvXQ/U8QbjGWO3wI/AAAAAAAAFNE/8K8kIwNtJG4/s1600/IMG_5525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A3iRYS9tvXQ/U8QbjGWO3wI/AAAAAAAAFNE/8K8kIwNtJG4/s1600/IMG_5525.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />The next part of the process is to &nbsp;select some nice long locks from the fleece. Despite being first timers, our novice shearers did a really good job with plenty of usable fibre to be had. You might have noticed that in the photograph the sheep looks light &nbsp;brown and white. You can see from this photo how the tips of the fleece have been sun bleached and that underneath it is a dark, rich brown.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QNfRRe3USa4/U8QbmQBMOZI/AAAAAAAAFNM/brMZtzbp5RM/s1600/IMG_5502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QNfRRe3USa4/U8QbmQBMOZI/AAAAAAAAFNM/brMZtzbp5RM/s1600/IMG_5502.JPG" height="283" width="400" /></a></div><br />Once the locks are selected they need to be carded to open them up ready for spinning.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShfxIcish3E/U8QbsTI85DI/AAAAAAAAFNU/7RlF-yl42MM/s1600/IMG_5507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShfxIcish3E/U8QbsTI85DI/AAAAAAAAFNU/7RlF-yl42MM/s1600/IMG_5507.JPG" height="185" width="400" /></a></div><br />This turns them into a fluffy cloud of fibre known as a rolag.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BuiyMxWdqKY/U8Qbvf03WRI/AAAAAAAAFNc/_TmLgZ90Lgg/s1600/IMG_5509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BuiyMxWdqKY/U8Qbvf03WRI/AAAAAAAAFNc/_TmLgZ90Lgg/s1600/IMG_5509.JPG" height="363" width="400" /></a></div><br />Now comes the spinning of the fibre. One of the wonderful things about <a href="http://stepneycityfarm.org/" target="_blank">Stepney City Farm</a> is that they have a Rural Arts Centre with studios for craftspeople in residence. One of these <a href="http://barnthespoon.com/" target="_blank">Barn the Spoon</a>, is an expert green wood carver who, whilst he specialised in spoon carving surprised and delighted us with this lovely drop spindle.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rlEPpnZmtaM/U8QbzrLnr9I/AAAAAAAAFNk/ajBGkz4r0ec/s1600/IMG_5511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rlEPpnZmtaM/U8QbzrLnr9I/AAAAAAAAFNk/ajBGkz4r0ec/s1600/IMG_5511.JPG" height="181" width="400" /></a></div><br />The wood for this spindle was harvested locally in<a href="http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/leisure_and_culture/parks_and_open_spaces/cemetery_park.aspx" target="_blank"> Cemetery Park</a> and carved using the simplest of hand tools.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FWXMgDp-GB4/U8Qb3PnYM6I/AAAAAAAAFNs/wGF5j252iXs/s1600/IMG_5513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FWXMgDp-GB4/U8Qb3PnYM6I/AAAAAAAAFNs/wGF5j252iXs/s1600/IMG_5513.JPG" height="373" width="400" /></a></div><br />I particularly like how you can see every stroke of the knife as it was cut into shape but at the same time is perfectly smooth and fit for its intended purpose.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RtTFAsNemBY/U8QcAjaw2CI/AAAAAAAAFN0/toTDnmNrBh0/s1600/IMG_5518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RtTFAsNemBY/U8QcAjaw2CI/AAAAAAAAFN0/toTDnmNrBh0/s1600/IMG_5518.JPG" height="228" width="400" /></a></div><br />It spins well and smoothly and fits in with the way that we have processed the fleece, slowly, carefully and with the minimum of fancy equipment until there is enough for a tea cosy for a teapot which <a href="http://www.jessjos.com/" target="_blank">Jess Joslin</a>, the resident potter has promised to make to add some style to lunchtimes for the volunteers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kQM3k4PcNPU/U8QcD2LTbFI/AAAAAAAAFN8/SRdGk60PdKI/s1600/IMG_5519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kQM3k4PcNPU/U8QcD2LTbFI/AAAAAAAAFN8/SRdGk60PdKI/s1600/IMG_5519.JPG" height="372" width="400" /></a></div><br />I will, of course, keep you posted and show your the teapot and its cosy when we have made it. I have absolutely loved being part of this process, collaborating with the other craftspeople on the farm to create something that represents the combined efforts of the team who care for the sheep, the shearers, the woodcarver &nbsp;the potter and the fibre artists.<br /><br />I'm sure the tea will taste extra good.Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14933236.post-82301753943232449112014-07-07T19:46:00.001+01:002014-07-07T19:46:59.472+01:00Taking the plunge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am often astonished when I look down the sidebar of the blog to see that in the first few years of recording my knitting activity how much I used to finish. Nowadays I am lucky enough to earn my living as a professional knitter which strangely enough seems to leave me a lot less time for knitting - how did that happen?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSF65yGXQkw/U7rYgr5lpJI/AAAAAAAAFME/zqXOpvgZhQQ/s1600/IMG_5494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSF65yGXQkw/U7rYgr5lpJI/AAAAAAAAFME/zqXOpvgZhQQ/s1600/IMG_5494.JPG" height="400" width="316" /></a></div><br />Whilst I still absolutely love knitting socks, my output has certainly slowed from the memorable year that I attempted the 52 Pair Plunge, an online knitting challenge organised through Ravelry, &nbsp;and managed a reasonably creditable 29 pairs. &nbsp;With this in mind, and having examined the still alarming number of socks in progress I have in my knitting basket I have decided to join the much more modest 26 Pair Plunge and see if I can move them on to my sock drawer. The rules of the challenge are that socks need to be finished between July1st 2014 and June 30th 2015 but it doesn't matter when they were cast on so it is perfect for motivating me to do some finishing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NF94eeIkMfk/U7rYbgZE1hI/AAAAAAAAFL0/mGsCXPh9xjU/s1600/IMG_5491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NF94eeIkMfk/U7rYbgZE1hI/AAAAAAAAFL0/mGsCXPh9xjU/s1600/IMG_5491.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a></div><br />So, I a very pleased to report that I am able to present my first finished pair for this year, &nbsp;Dawlish Socks from Coopknits Socks by Rachel Coopey knit in Clan, a much loved but sadly discontinued yarn by The Yarn Yard. I love Rachel's designs and when I cast these socks on last September entertained the notion of working my way through the book using my precious stash of Clan which, lovely as it is, being a discontinued yarn can't really be used for my own designs. I'm very tempted to raid the stash for &nbsp;casting on the next pair but I really should finish some works in progress first.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4-H-mjQR0M/U7rYeFWgRnI/AAAAAAAAFL8/UjSki5yPeX8/s1600/IMG_5493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4-H-mjQR0M/U7rYeFWgRnI/AAAAAAAAFL8/UjSki5yPeX8/s1600/IMG_5493.jpg" height="400" width="390" /></a></div><br />I'm really pleased with the way the socks have turned out although having such a long hiatus between starting and finishing meant that I found it hard to regain the rhythm of the pattern and did about as much ripping out as I did knitting on the second sock. The pattern is perfectly well written - it was just me repeatedly losing the plot by thinking I remembered what was going on rather than referring back to the pattern!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfkHILG2Doc/U7rYk3mhKsI/AAAAAAAAFMM/8rlsdlQfigg/s1600/IMG_5496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfkHILG2Doc/U7rYk3mhKsI/AAAAAAAAFMM/8rlsdlQfigg/s1600/IMG_5496.JPG" height="278" width="400" /></a></div><br />One of the reasons that the yarn is a great favourite of mine is that the multiple plies make a dense, smooth yarn that gives excellent stitch definition. It is on the heavy end of the sock yarn spectrum which makes for a very dense, warm fabric.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HZV9r23uR-A/U7rYm51jRgI/AAAAAAAAFMU/QAaJpoJbcNw/s1600/IMG_5498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HZV9r23uR-A/U7rYm51jRgI/AAAAAAAAFMU/QAaJpoJbcNw/s1600/IMG_5498.jpg" height="400" width="295" /></a></div><br />I love the regular but asymmetric design of these socks. I must confess that they are designed to be a mirrored pair but I chose to make them identical as making sure I have them on the correct foot first thing in the morning would be a step too far for me at such an early hour.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VDQNszGo15U/U7rYpodBYHI/AAAAAAAAFMc/Ta_88ayMrgY/s1600/IMG_5499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VDQNszGo15U/U7rYpodBYHI/AAAAAAAAFMc/Ta_88ayMrgY/s1600/IMG_5499.jpg" height="400" width="350" /></a></div><br />Right, off to rummage in the knitting basket for lonely single socks.Probably Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15327990808605512518noreply@blogger.com2